Forum topics include economy, gun laws and reproductive rights
By Ariyana Griffin AFRO Staff Writer agriffin@afro.com
Morgan State University’s campus newspaper, The Spokesman, hosted a forum on Sept. 24 for students and the public to hear from leading candidates in the race for Maryland’s U.S. Senate seat. Both Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and Larry Hogan (R), former governor of Maryland, were invited, however
Hogan did not join Alsobrooks on stage to speak with voters in attendance.
If elected, Alsobrooks will make history by becoming the first Black woman to represent the state of Maryland in the U.S. Senate.
NBC Correspondent, Antonia Hylton, moderated the forum with three student reporters: Lillian Stephens, Aleisha Robinson and Tavon Thomasson.
Alsobrooks said she was happy to attend the forum, which gave her
had over the last 27 years as an executive, but I’m going to take my lived experience.”
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson brings book tour to Baltimore
By AFRO Staff
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson spoke in Baltimore about her new book, “Lovely One,” inside of the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Central Branch on Sept. 21. Those able to secure one of the hottest tickets in town on Saturday night were able to hear the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court speak about not only her new book, but her own personal origin story and the people who put her on the path to success in the law field.
“My father went back to law school when I was three years old. We lived on the campus of the University of Miami Law School,” said Justice Jackson. “My earliest
another opportunity to introduce herself to voters.
Gun violence Firearms were a crucial part of the discussion, as gun violence in the country is a growing concern among voters.
The 2022 report by Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions stated that “since 2013, the gun death rate among children and teens (1–17) has increased 106 percent. Guns were the leading cause
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com
of death among children and teens, accounting for more deaths than car crashes, overdoses, or cancers.”
Data also shows that the fatalities linked to gun violence are higher in Black teens and children.
“In 2021, 46 percent of all gun deaths among children and teens involved Black victims, even though only 14 percent of the U.S. under 18 population that year was Black.” The study also stated that “both the number and rate of children and
AFRO.com now features AFRO Votes, a one-stop shop to
vote, learn about what elections are going on in your area and request an absentee or mail-in ballot. It also contains a feature to help youth, between the ages of 13 and 17, register as future voters. Included on the page are articles showcasing the AFRO’s latest election coverage,
Though the voter registration deadline is Oct. 15 in Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia, eligible voters can still register on early voting days and Election Day.
In Maryland, early voting is from Oct. 24-Oct. 31. In D.C., early voting runs from Oct. 28-Nov. 3 and in Virgina, early voting goes from Sept. 20Nov. 2.
AFRO Photo/ Ariyana Griffin
Maryland’s U.S. Senate Candidate and current Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) attends a community forum at Morgan State University (MSU). Topics of discussion included gun violence and reproductive rights. Although invitations went to both Alsobrooks and the leading Republican candidate, Larry Hogan, former governor of Maryland, only Alsobrooks showed up to speak with students of the historically Black university. Shown here, Alsobrooks (left), with NBC Correspondent Antonia Hylton and three MSU students, Lillian Stephens, former AFRO Intern Aleisha Robinson and Tavon Thomasson.
AP Photo
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is speaking to audiences across the nation with her new book, “Lovely One.” The Baltimore stop of the book tour took place on Sept. 21 at the Central Branch of Enoch Pratt Free Library.
Missouri executes Marcellus Williams for 1998 killing Death penalty carried out, despite calls from victim’s family to halt execution
By David A. Lieb and Jim Salter The Associated Press
A Missouri man convicted of breaking into a woman’s home and repeatedly stabbing her was executed Sept. 24 over the objections of the victim’s family and the prosecutor, who wanted the death sentence commuted to life in prison.
Marcellus Williams, 55, was convicted in the 1998 killing of Lisha Gayle, who was stabbed during the burglary of her suburban St. Louis home.
Williams was put to death despite questions his attorneys raised over jury selection at his trial and the handling of evidence in the case. His clemency petition focused heavily on how Gayle’s relatives wanted Williams’ sentence commuted to life without the possibility of parole.
“The family defines closure as Marcellus being allowed to live,” the petition stated. “Marcellus’ execution is not necessary.”
As Williams lay awaiting execution, he appeared to converse with a spiritual advisor seated next to him. Williams wiggled his feet underneath a white sheet that was pulled up to his neck and moved his head slightly while his spiritual advisor continued to talk. Then Williams’ chest heaved about a half dozen times, and he showed no further movement.
Williams’ son and two attorneys watched from another room. No one was present on behalf of the victim’s family.
The Department of Corrections released a brief statement that Williams had written ahead of time, saying: “All Praise Be to Allah In Every Situation!!!”
Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he hoped the
execution brings finality to a case that “languished for decades, revictimizing Ms. Gayle’s family over and over again.”
“No juror nor judge has ever found Williams’ innocence claim to be credible,” Parson said in a statement.
The NAACP had been among those urging Parson to cancel the execution.
“Tonight, Missouri lynched another innocent Black man,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement.
It was the third time Williams faced execution. He got reprieves in 2015 and 2017, but his lastditch efforts this time were futile.
Parson and the state Supreme Court rejected his appeals in quick succession Monday, Sept 23, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene hours before he was put to death.
confessed to the killing and provided details about it.
Williams’ attorneys responded that the girlfriend and Cole were both convicted of felonies and wanted a $10,000 reward. They said that fingerprints, a bloody shoe print, hair and other evidence at the crime scene didn’t match Williams.’
A crime scene investigator had testified the killer wore gloves.
Bailey appealed, and the state Supreme Court blocked the agreement and ordered Hilton to proceed with an evidentiary hearing, which took place last month.
Last month, Gayle’s relatives gave their blessings to an agreement between the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney’s office and Williams’ attorneys to commute the sentence to life in prison. But acting on an appeal from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office, the state Supreme Court nullified the agreement.
slated to execute a prisoner on Tuesday, Sept 24. Gayle, 42, was a social worker and former St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter.
“The family defines closure as Marcellus being allowed to live. Marcellus’ execution is not necessary.”
Prosecutors at Williams’ trial said he broke into her home on Aug. 11, 1998, heard the shower running and found a
Williams was among death row inmates in five states who were scheduled to be put to death in the span of a week — an unusually high number that defies a yearslong decline in the use and support of the death penalty in the U.S. The first was carried out Friday, Sept 20, in South Carolina. Texas was also
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large butcher knife. Gayle was stabbed 43 times when she came downstairs. Her purse and her husband’s laptop were stolen.
Authorities said Williams stole a jacket to conceal blood on his shirt. His girlfriend asked him why he would wear a jacket on a hot day. She said she later saw the purse and laptop in his car and that Williams sold the computer a day or two later.
Prosecutors also cited testimony from Henry Cole, who shared a cell with Williams in 1999 while Williams was jailed on unrelated charges. Cole told prosecutors that Williams
Questions about DNA evidence also led St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell to request a hearing challenging Williams’ guilt. But days before the Aug. 21 hearing, new testing showed that DNA on the knife belonged to members of the prosecutor’s office who handled it without gloves after the original crime lab tests.
Without DNA evidence pointing to any alternative suspect, Midwest Innocence Project attorneys reached a compromise with the prosecutor’s office: Williams would enter a new, no-contest plea to first-degree murder in exchange for a new sentence of life in prison without parole. A no-contest plea isn’t an admission of guilt but is treated as such for the purpose of sentencing.
Judge Bruce Hilton signed off, as did Gayle’s family. But
Hilton ruled on Sept. 12 that the first-degree murder conviction and death sentence would stand, noting that Williams’ arguments all had been previously rejected. That decision was upheld Monday, Sept 23, by the state Supreme Court. Attorneys for Williams, who was Black, also challenged the fairness of his trial, particularly the fact that only one of the 12 jurors was Black. Tricia Bushnell of the Midwest Innocence Project said the prosecutor in the case, Keith Larner, removed six of seven Black prospective jurors. Larner testified at the August hearing that he struck one potential Black juror partly because he looked too much like Williams — a statement that Williams’ attorneys asserted showed improper racial bias. Larner contended that the jury selection process was fair. Williams was the third Missouri inmate put to death this year and the 100th since the state resumed use of the death penalty in 1989.
This article was originally published by The Associated Press.
Racist rumors, bomb threats and their toll on black students
By Quintessa Williams Word in Black
Springfield, Ohio, has become the center of a political firestorm after unfounded rumors surfaced that Haitian immigrants were stealing and eating pets. Despite being debunked by local authorities, these lies gained national attention after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, amplified them.
Six schools, including several elementary schools and a middle school, in the 7,700-student Springfield City School District, were evacuated in the span of a week. With Black kids being 24 percent of students and minority enrollment at 50 percent of students overall, these events have disproportionately impacted students of color in the city.
Earlier this week, White House national security spokesman John Kirby called the unsubstantiated reports that led to the bomb threats “dangerous” misinformation. “Because there will be people that believe it, no matter how ludicrous and stupid it is,” Kirby said. “And they might act on that kind of misinformation, and act on it in a way where somebody can get hurt, so it needs to stop.”
On Sunday, Sept 15, Senator Vance reiterated the false claims on CNN without evidence and admitted that these stories were created. “The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes. If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do,” Vance said.
As students continue to face threats linked to political misinformation, concerned residents like Immah Marsh tell Word In Black it’s critical steps be taken to protect students and their schools.
“Misinformation that leads to this level of a threat should have no place in our schools, whatsoever,” Marsh says. “And it’s up to our community, state and national leaders to push back against the harmful rhetoric that threatens the well-being of Black and minority students. They have enough to worry about at school as it is. It has to stop somewhere.”
Philomene Philostin, a Haitian American business owner in Springfield, told CNN she’s feeling the fallout from the lies about her community — and says it’s hitting the kids hardest. She said her own child has been asked awkward, uncomfortable questions about Haitian culture that leave them feeling embarrassed and upset.
“People here, they’re really scared,” she said.
The national impact on Black students
As K-12 schools become increasingly politicized due to culture wars over DEI, teaching Black history and other issues, the students in them — particularly Black and other students of color — bear the brunt of the fallout. These threats exacerbate a harsh
reality: For nearly 30 years, researchers have found that many Black students don’t feel safe at school.
According to a 2023 Journal of Adolescent Health report, 9.1 percent of all students aged 11-17 often stayed home due to feeling unsafe at school. The prevalence of feeling unsafe was higher among students of color, with nearly 9 percent of Black students and just over 11 percent of Hispanic/Latino students reporting feeling unsafe. In comparison, just over 7 percent of White students reported feeling unsafe.
In addition, the repeated bomb threats and evacuations in Springfield highlight the emotional and psychological toll such events take on students — particularly Black students, who are already more likely to experience racial tension in schools. A 2020 study by the Education Resources Information Center found that minority students are 30 percent more likely to report feelings of fear and anxiety related to threats to school safety than their White peers.
Allison Wiltz, an English teacher from New Orleans, tells me that these feelings can manifest in lower academic performance, higher absenteeism rates and reduced engagement in school activities — all of which disproportionately impact Black students.
“The recent school evacuations in Springfield make it clear that racism is more than ill-will or disrespectful words,” Wiltz says. “Language has power, and it perpetuates violence that impacts our marginalized students the most.”
The impact of misinformation, bomb threats, and unsafe school environments aren’t unique to just affect K-12 students. False narratives and political misinformation targeting immigrant and Black communities
are part of a troubling pattern of violence at the college level. In early 2022, bomb threats targeted 49 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 19 Predominantly Black Institutions.
“The recent bomb threats experienced by HBCUs have shaken students and fractured their sense of safety and belonging, which are critical to their academic success and wellbeing,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement at the time. Where do we go from here?
Misinformation, bomb threats, and unsafe school environments all exacerbate the challenges Black students already face in the education system, from racial disparities in discipline to unequal access to resources.
On Monday, Sept. 16, Ohio’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, said state police will now conduct daily sweeps of schools in Springfield after authorities were forced to investigate “at least 33” bomb threats that led to evacuations and temporary building closures.
“We cannot let the bad guys win,” DeWine said in a separate statement. “We must take every threat seriously, but children deserve to be in school, and parents deserve to know that their kids are safe. The added security will help ease some of the fears caused by these hoaxes.”
“Springfield is a community that needs help,” Mayor Rob Rue said in an interview with The Washington Post. The mayor added that national leaders should provide help and not “hurt a community like, unfortunately, we have seen over the last couple of days.”
This article was originally published by Word In Black.
Courtesy of Marcellus Williams’s legal team Friends, family and supporters across the nation are mourning the death of Marcellus Williams, executed on Sept. 24 in Missouri.
Diddy’s not the only one dealing with unsafe jail conditions
By Joseph Williams Word In Black
Earlier this month, as federal investigators prepared a criminal case against him, the music and entertainment mogul known as Diddy flew from his Miami mansion to New York City and checked into a posh Manhattan hotel suite, where he awaited his fate in luxury and comfort.
On Wednesday, Sept 18, after agents arrested him on Sept.16 for racketeering and sex trafficking charges, the man also known as Sean Combs woke up behind bars in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a squat, hulking jail notorious for harsh conditions, overcrowding and violence. He was sent there after his lawyer failed to convince a judge to let him serve detention in his South Florida home — a sprawling estate with pools, a guest house and spa.
It was a drastic change in circumstance for hip hop’s first billionaire: trading swank digs for a facility widely considered “a hellhole.” But it has also brought attention to the issue of jails and pretrial detention — what one report calls “the most overlooked human rights crisis of our time.”
Studies have shown jails across the country are rife with crime, drug abuse and situations that can worsen mental health among detainees. Although most jail detainees haven’t been convicted of crimes and are legally presumed innocent, investigations have found they are routinely subject to abuse from staff and other detainees, ranging from harassment and destroying belongings to physical and sexual abuse. Too often, the result is suicide or death.
As with most elements of the carceral state, the nation’s jails and detention centers house a disproportionate number of Black men and women.
“Black people made up, on average, 12 percent of the local community populations but more than double that, 26 percent, of the jail populations,” according to a Pew Research Center report released last year. In more than 70 percent of counties where data was available, “the share of the jail population that was
Black was at least twice that of the locality as a whole.”
Overcrowding contributes to problems in prison, but most detainees can’t afford to pay bail to secure their release. A Prison Policy Initiative found that the average bail for a felony defendant is around $10,000, which is about eight months of income for the typical detainee.
The Cook County Jail, which houses detainees arrested in metro Chicago, recorded its deadliest year ever in 2023, with 18 fatalities, even though the chronically overcrowded jail was far less cramped than usual. And in Pennsylvania, so many jail deaths were miscategorized or went unreported that a team of investigative journalists created a statewide database.
According to a report in Health Affairs, an underlying cause of most jail deaths “is heavy reliance on incarceration” instead of home detention. The cycling of people into and out of jail, the report states, exacerbates “the impacts
of addiction, mental illness and health inequity … with dire consequences.”
While the federal government does not make public its nationwide statistics on jails, a report by Think Global Health lays out the scope of the issue.
“One in three people incarcerated are detained in a jail—that’s more than 700,000 people on any given day in the United States,” according to the report, issued in January 2023.
“More than 80 percent of people being held in 2,850 U.S. local jails are not yet convicted of a crime and are legally presumed innocent. The vast majority have been arrested for nonviolent offenses.”
Lawyers argue Metropolitan Detention Center unfit for pre-trial detention
Study after study has found that Black detainees are overrepresented in the nation’s jails.
Top 10 ways to be a better Black voter
By Keith Boykin Word In Black
Here we go again. A handful of rappers, celebrities and instigators out here are discouraging Black people from voting or trying to convince us that our vote doesn’t matter because both candidates are the same. Don’t believe them.
Every four years, a few vocal people — who rarely, if ever, use their voices to mobilize their followers to engage in specific political action — suddenly crawl out of the woodwork to spread misinformation about the next presidential election.
This year is no different. I thought about posting weekly rebuttals, but rather than spending the next two months debunking these voices over and over again, I want to ask two questions.
First, what’s their strategy to achieve their goals? Assuming you agree with everything they want to do, how do they propose to get it passed through our divided Congress, signed by the President into law and upheld by a Republican-dominated Supreme Court that now considers any race-specific remedy to be illegal or unconstitutional?
And second, if they had some genius strategy, where were they the last four years when Republican lawmakers and judges:
•Blocked the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
•Blocked the John Lewis Voting Rights Act
• Ended affirmative action
• Halted Black farmers’ relief
• Restricted a venture capital fund for Black women
• Outlawed minority business grants
• Erased Black congressional districts
• Banned Black books
• Banned Black history classes
• Closed DEI offices
• Refused to indict the officers who killed Breonna Taylor
• Ousted Black lawmakers in Tennessee
• Arrested Black people for voting in Florida
• Banned civil rights groups in Georgia from providing food and water to people standing in long voting lines
Many of us have been playing defense without a full bench the last three quarters, and we could have used some help from all the new celebrity players showing up in the fourth quarter who want to change the playbook.
As Malcolm X said, “Show me in the White community where a singer is a White leader.” Yes, celebrities have a valuable supporting role to play, but they don’t get to show up two months before an election, ignore the work of Black thought leaders and demand a meeting with a presidential candidate like they’re some official spokesman for Black America.
So, instead of spending the next eight weeks responding to every lie about Kamala Harris, I propose 10 constructive things we can do to help advance our political agenda well into the future.
Ten things we can do
1-Get informed. Follow the news. Take a class. Become a critical thinker and more sophisticated consumer of information. I read dozens of news sources every day. You don’t have to read that many, but don’t rely on one source for all your news. Review multiple, credible sources.
Courtesy photo
Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, television and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. This week, he discusses the top 10 ways members of the African-American community can become better voters.
2-Verify the information you share Learn to spot misinformation. And try not to forward fake news. Fact-checkers like Daniel Dale, Snopes. com, Factcheck.org and Politifact try to debunk misinformation, but sometimes they make mistakes or can’t keep up. That’s why you need to know your sources. Media outlets like Fox News, the New York Post, Newsmax, TownHall, the National Review and the Wall Street Journal editorial page have a distinct rightwing political bias that favors Trump and the Republicans. Also, rappers, athletes and celebrities have every right to share their opinions, but they’re not always the most reliable sources for information about government and politics.
3-Vote. Election Day is November 5, but some states require you to register weeks before then. Go to Vote.org today to find the voter registration deadline in your state. If you think you’re already registered, know that Republicans are trying to challenge and purge inactive voters. So check to make sure your name has not been removed from the rolls.
4-Attend local government meetings. Many of the decisions that affect us, including where liquor stores and pollution sites are built and which books are banned in schools, are made at local public meetings that very few people bother to attend. Go there and speak up.
5-Volunteer. Campaigns are always looking for people to make
“Black people made up, on average, 12 percent of the local community populations but more than double that, 26 percent, of the jail populations,” according to a Pew Research Center report released last year. In more than 70 percent of counties where data was available, “the share of the jail population that was Black was at least twice that of the locality as a whole.”
That statistic, researchers argue, is no coincidence.
“There is a historic relationship between unemployment, structural racism and incarceration rates,” according to the Think Global Health report. “Crime insecurity and substandard development and governance correlate with disproportionate pretrial detention globally. Financial insecurity also exacerbates underlying causes of criminality.”
In Combs’ case, the Metropolitan Detention Center is well known for violence, part of the reason his lawyer vociferously argued the rap impresario should be granted home detention. The Daily Beast reported that, in a motion for bail filed earlier on Tuesday, Sept 17, Combs’ attorney noted that “several courts in this District have recognized that the conditions at Metropolitan Detention Center are not fit for pre-trial detention.”
Earlier this summer, “an inmate was murdered. At least four inmates have died by suicide there in the past three years,” according to the court filing.
The MDC’s reputation is so bad that a judge refused to send an elderly defendant there, pointing to “dangerous, barbaric conditions,” The Beast reported. The New York Times reported that at least three other judges made the same decision in recent years, for the same reason.
Advocates for incarcerated people have long argued as Combs’ lawyer has done — that jails aren’t fit for people to be held in. But it seems the judge has made it clear: A man who told us for the past 30 years that he’s a “bad boy for life” doesn’t get a pass.
The article was originally published by Word In Black.
phone calls and knock on doors. Drop by the local campaign office, sign up to host an event, put up yard signs, or become a poll watcher. This is especially important if you live in one of the seven battleground states that will determine the election: Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada.
6-Donate. If you’re not invested in the presidential election, find a candidate you do support and contribute to their campaign. This year, we have 435 House members, 34 Senators, 11 governors’ races, nine lieutenant governor seats, 10 attorneys general, seven secretaries of state and thousands of lower-level offices up for election in November. Unlike the presidential campaign, many of these candidates never get the attention and resources they need to win. Your money could make all the difference.
7-Don’t Reinvent the Wheel. Support organizations that are already doing the work. Groups like Color of Change and the NAACP are developing important policy goals and working to implement them.
8-Lobby your elected officials. The president can make some critical unilateral decisions for the country, but most government decisions that affect your day-to-day life are made by Congress, your state legislature, your county commissioners, your city council, your zoning board and your school board. Do you know these officials? Visit their offices. Call them up. Write them letters. Let them know what issues you care about. The phone number for the U.S. Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121.
9-Run for office. If you’re not satisfied with the people in government, show them how it’s done. Run for school board, town council, state representative or even Congress. Don’t expect somebody else to do it for you. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
10-Start a PAC. This is one of the most difficult tasks on the list, but it can be done. If none of the other steps work for you, you can start your own political action committee to fight for the causes you believe in. You can even create a legislative scorecard to give ratings to members of Congress based on the issues you care about.
There are dozens of other constructive things you can do, so don’t be limited by this list. But remember this guiding principle. Cynicism is not a strategy, and apathy is not a solution.
This article was originally published by Word in Black.
AP Photo/ Richard Shotwell
Conditions in American prisons are once again a hot topic of discussion, as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs wakes up behind bars due to charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
COMMENTARY
Artificial intelligence is a growing threat to our elections
By Yvette Clarke
As we approach this upcoming election, we must examine the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) will have to our ability to participate in a free and fair election, and the ramifications of another four years under Trump, with the implementation of Project 2025.
For years, I’ve stood at the forefront of Congress’s fight to regulate AI, and the many technologies born from advancements in this space.
I have been raising concerns with my colleagues in Congress and emphasizing that without appropriate safeguards in place for AI, we risk facing dire consequences such as the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation.
When Elon Musk shared a deepfake video of the vice president, I knew this problem was a long time coming. Earlier in the year, President Biden’s voice was cloned using AI to send a fake robocall to thousands of voters in New Hampshire. This is particularly significant for communities of color across the country, including families in New York’s 9th District in Brooklyn.
A recent report showed at least 40 million Americans might be regularly targeted and fed disinformation in Black online spaces by a host of sources throughout social media, fueling false information around the election. In fact, the past few election cycles have seen misinformation weaponized and targeted at communities of color by racist and antidemocratic actors who seek to intimidate voters of color and use lies to discourage Black people from participating in the democratic process. Unfortunately, far more
understand their origin stories and how valuable becoming citizens of this great nation is to everyone — particularly those I represent.
The Caribbean community has a long history with the United States. The history of Caribbean people dates back as far as slavery in this country. As time passed, enslaved people brought from Barbados formed a substantial portion of the Black population in Virginia, particularly in the Tidewater area around the Chesapeake Bay.
than our ability to responsibly regulate AI is at risk this November. The truth is far more terrifying.
The truth is that our freedoms are at stake.
If elected, Trump and his gang will enact Project 2025 — a 900-page manifesto published by the Heritage Foundation as a guide to implement their farright, radical policies nationwide, and uproot the very foundation our American values and principles are built upon.
As a daughter of Jamaican immigrants, part of my lived experience was learning to understand and appreciate my parents’ journey to their American dream. Brooklyn, including the 9th District, is a portal that is representative of the world’s cultures and peoples, and many of my constituents also share those experiences.
As a Caribbean American, I
In the centuries that followed, people from the nations of Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and more arrived in this nation, becoming doctors, caretakers, Oscar-winning actors like Sidney Poitier, activist-musicians like Harry Belafonte, and even legendary politicians like my idol, Shirley Chisholm. Caribbean culture was molded into this great American mosaic, adding different foods, music, and a stubborn sense of selfdetermination.
Immigration is the centerpiece of the former president’s campaign to retake the White House, and if he wins a second term in November, he has pledged to embark on the biggest deportation program in U.S. history. Trump has suggested he would deputize local police officers to identify suspects and make arrests, and said that they would be granted “immunity.” In an interview with Time magazine earlier this year, he bragged about the speed at which he would deport tens of millions. A mass deportation plan on this scale is pure horror with no consideration of humanitarian concerns or family separations. Project 2025 even calls for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
officers to be allowed to carry out “civil arrest, detention, and removal of immigration violators anywhere in the United States, without warrant where appropriate.”
It’s not difficult to imagin e what kind of communities they would target first, especially considering that the former president referred to Haiti and African nations as “s***hole” countries — legitimizing the targeting of people of the African diaspora, and furthering his agenda to restrict immigration policy in a potential second term.
Project 2025 seeks to destroy Temporary Protected Status
(TPS), cutting more than 850,000 individuals from the program and repealing all active TPS designations. This is more than troubling at a time when my colleagues and I in the Haiti Caucus have been continuing to beat the drum for expanding the TPS designation for our Haitian brothers and sisters as the island nation of Haiti has descended into chaos from political instability, natural disasters, and gang violence. Project 2025 would treat immigration as a threat to the nation, rather than the great benefit it has always proven to be. Now more than ever, we must protect the great American mosaic we have worked so diligently to craft. We came here not to create division, fuel xenophobia, or strengthen extremism, but to spread onelove, build unity, and have the opportunity to reach our highest aspirations. We must fight on. There is no future for the Caribbean community in Project 2025. It is time for us to use our inalienable rights as Caribbean Americans, do our civic duty, and head to the ballot box — because we are not going back. This article was originally published by New York Amsterdam News.
The case for Cornel West dropping out of the 2024 presidential election
By Joel Payne
We all watched with horror as Donald Trump tried to divide and destroy this country during his four years in the White House. He’s now promising to complete his effort to destroy this country by using a second term to rip away our fundamental freedoms, take us backwards and empower his allies to unleash his extremist, right-wing Project 2025 agenda against the American people. In 2016, one noted scholar accurately described Trump as a “billionaire pseudo-populist” who has “autocratic sensibility” and “narcissistic personality” and that would empower “a lethal mixture of big banks, huge corporations, xenophobic scapegoating, economic anxiety
and national malaise tied to militaristic aspirations abroad.” Those remarks were made by Dr. Cornel West.
Dr. West was right, of course, which makes it all the more devastating to see how he has decided to continue a third party presidential bid that nearly every observer, including Donald Trump himself, believes only serves to block Kamala Harris from victory and help Donald Trump win a second term in the White House.
What’s worse is that Dr. West’s struggling third-party campaign has been co-opted by powerful Republicans, who are maniacally determined to tear down Vice President Kamala Harris and boost Donald Trump. They’re using West as a tool to
help Trump get elected, so he and his MAGA supporters can carry out their dangerous Project 2025 agenda.
In state after state — North Carolina, Arizona, Wisconsin — West has enlisted the help of MAGA Republican operatives, who don’t even try to hide their bad faith: they publicly crow about their plan to use West to boost Trump, and stand outside Trump rallies and ask people to sign their West petitions to help defeat Democrats.
As West fights with election boards to get on state ballots, he’s hired Republican voter suppression lawyers to represent him. Prominent right-wing megadonor Harlan Crow, the one who treated Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to private jet flights and
international yacht cruises has funded West’s campaign. And his MAGA handlers have packed his electoral slates with Republicans, including a convicted killer — and even signed up at least one elector without her knowledge. West seems to have no qualms about any of this. Last month, he seemingly admitted his shady GOP ballot access operation was engaged in “gangsterlike activity,” adding, “We just want to get on the ballot.” By handing over his ballot access operation to extremist Trump-allied Republican operatives who are willing to use dirty tricks like these to win back the White House, Cornel West is eroding his own legacy as a progressive activist and thinker West has spent decades in
activism and advocacy on behalf of Black Americans, in a nation that has long fallen short of its founding ideals. Now, he’s apparently given up on all that, and he’s letting himself be used by people who aim to permanently end America’s striving toward equity and justice.
At best, Dr. West is allowing his voice to be used to enable Donald Trump to unleash more division on our country and our world. At worst, Dr. West is a willing participant in a game that has been transparently laid out by MAGA Trump surrogates and donors to use third party candidates like West and Jill Stein to uncut the anti-Trump coalition that Kamala Harris is working to keep together.
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No cheek left to turn: Standing up for Albina Head Start and the low-income families it serves
By Ronnie Herndon
In America today, children have the highest official poverty rate compared to any other age group. Over 16 percent of our nation’s young people live below the federal poverty line, and in many parts of Portland the rate is even higher. In east Portland, one out of every four children is in poverty. The good news is that our country’s leaders created programs to help, and I’m proud to say I’ve dedicated most of my life to one of them: the federal Head Start Program. Since 1975, when I was first named director of Albina Head Start, I’ve had the privilege of serving our community by providing educational opportunities for low-income Pre-K students and watching the program flourish. Today, our program is regarded as one of the top Head Starts in the country, serving nearly 1,000 families, employing a staff of over 300, and implementing innovative curriculum like our Mandarin dual language program, the first of its kind nationally.
For some of our families, our program goes far beyond offering early learning and literacy. We also provide crucial health screenings, family support and address children’s nutritional needs by providing breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. The results are compelling. Children who participate in Head Start are more likely to finish high school, more likely to go to college and more likely to
graduate college. But there’s also bad news.
This month, Albina filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to defend itself against a misapplied rule that could force the program – and all the children it serves – to lose federal funding.
The issue boils down to a simple misinterpretation. In 2007, under the federal Head Start Act’s reauthorization, Congress directed HHS to force programs with system wide problems to recompete for their funding. Congress designated the term “deficient” to characterize such programs with systemic issues. And it makes sense because any Head Start that is systemically “deficient” in carrying out the program’s overall mission should require a course correction. But in Albina’s case, our program was unfairly deemed “deficient” not due to a systemwide problem, but a single incident of an employee breaking our rules – an anomaly in our otherwise clean, nearly 60-year track record.
In 2023, a teacher assistant threw a toy block at a student’s leg, acting completely outside the scope of their employment, contrary to their many hours of training, and contrary to our policies and procedures. We reviewed the incident, confronted the employee and terminated their employment within three hours of the incident, then reported the incident to state authorities, the student’s parent and HHS all within 24 hours. Incidents like these unfortunately happen in every sphere of society, no matter the precautions taken by an organization. Our actions perfectly followed the requirements of Head Start regulations on personnel matters, but HHS still incorrectly determined that the isolated incident should result in a “deficiency” finding against Albina as an entire organization. Congress expressly intended to prevent this use of “deficiency,” even indicating that it impedes the greater mission of Head Start because “recompetition” of high quality programs could have the unintended effect of undermining program quality and decreasing the
efficiency of Head Start expenditures.” While our funding is at risk, this lawsuit is more than just dollars and cents. It’s about people. It’s about the futures of our students. It’s about the morale of our teachers and staff, who ask me if they’re going to be able to pay their bills. It’s about our marginalized communities that are barely surviving. And it’s about the other Head Start programs that might also be affected by unfair “deficiency” findings but lack the resources to push back. According to HHS, roughly half of all “deficiency” findings result from isolated incidents like the one at Albina, not systemic failures of a Head Start program. The decision to take the federal government to court was not easy. Some may believe if someone “strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.”
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This article was originally published by The Skanner.
Courtesy
Photo courtesy of U.S. Congress Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, U.S. Representative for New York’s 9th Congressional District, speaks on the influence of artificial intelligence in a free and fair election.
Photo courtesy Facebook (Meta)/ Ron Herndon
Joel Payne is chief communications officer of MoveOn, a public policy organization and political action committee. This week, he discusses the potential impact of Cornel West’s presidential campaign.
Ronnie Herndon, director of the Albina Head Start, speaks on the fight to fund the Albina Head Start Program in Portland, Ore.
memories are of my dad’s education table with his law books.”
The title of her book, “Lovely One,” is a nod to the name given to her at birth by an aunt who worked in West Africa, “Ketanji Onyika,” which means “lovely one” in English.
Jackson noted that while the book is about her life, history and the impact of crucial moments in America are also woven through the pages.
“I start the book with my grandparents and then my parents. I’m trying to emphasize the great good fortune of my birth –the timing of my birth,” said Jackson. “I am a
member of the first generation post-Civil Rights Era. And the significance of that I just don’t want anyone to miss. I was born in 1970, which was within five or six years of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting rights Act, and the end of civil pro-segregation.”
Jackson said that while her parents were born during a time of segregation, her birth came during a “new opening of society to African Americans,” and filled them with hope.
“They were like, ‘here’s our shot,’” said Jackson, of her parent’s determination to have their daughter take advantage of every opportunity
teens killed by gunfire in 2021 were higher than at any point since at least 1999.”
A panelist pointed out that the Morgan State University community is no stranger to the effects and loss of gun violence. Next month marks a year since the campus shooting that curtailed homecoming events.
Alsobrooks shared that she was Prince George’s County’s first full-time domestic violence prosecutor, and the issue of gun violence is something that she cares about.
“It is unconscionable that we have had leaders who have been unwilling to make common sense changes that would prevent our children from dying of gun violence.”
According to the Office of Governor Wes Moore ,”Maryland ranks number 31 among the highest rate of gun deaths in the United States.”
Alsobrooks expressed that she has worked towards solving this issue, and as senator, she is going to sign legislation to help resolve the massive gun violence issue.
“I will work to pass sensible gun legislation to make sure that we are working to ban assault weapons from our communities,” Alsobrooks said.
Reproductive rights
The Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court case in 197 legalized abortion in the United States. However, it was overturned in 2022. Since then, more than 20 states have placed severe restrictions on abortion or outlawed the procedure all together.
“It is important that women all over the country have access to reproductive freedoms,” Alsobrooks said. “The laws should be equal across the country, which is why I will be in support of the Women’s Health Protec-
they themselves were denied.
“If there were swimming lessons, I was in the swimming lessons. If there were music lessons, I was doing the music lessons,” said Jackson. “When I was fiveyears-old, 6-years-old, my mother had me memorizing poems…I wrote the book as sort of a tribute to the people and circumstances that I felt were most responsible for my being in a position to take advantage of this.”
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Onyika Brown born to two public school teachers, Johnny and Ellery Brown, in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 14, 1970. After
tion Act.”
The Women’s Health Protection Act protects abortion access and, according to Congress, “prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services.” The act was introduced in 2023 by Wisconsin’s democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
Economic goals
Aside from gun violence and reproductive rights, the cost of living and inflation were also a key point in the conversation with Alsobrooks.
She explained that her goal is to attract more companies and opportunities to the state, which would create jobs for the residents she hopes to represent.
“My goal is to attract investment to the state of Maryland that will help large technology companies and other companies that want to invest in the state so that we have six-figure jobs for our young people,” said Alsobrooks. “I’m going to be fighting hard to bring jobs to Maryland.”
Alsobrooks told those in attendance that she is hopeful about the outcome of this election, which will take place in less than 50 days. “I’m going to be a good senator,” said Alsobrooks. “I’m going to go there with not only experience I’ve had over the last 27 years as an executive, but I’m going to take my lived experience.”
Attendees left the forum feeling informed and more knowledgeable about Alsobrooks and her stances on important issues.
“I feel invigorated,” 71-year-old Faye Belt told the AFRO. “Now that we realize it’s all about our future - we can move in a way that we can save this [country].”
Angela Alsobrooks leads Larry Hogan in September poll
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com
A September poll by Emerson College Polling, DC News Now and The Hill, revealed that Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) is leading her Republican opponent, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in the race for the U.S. Senate.
About 49 percent of voters polled said they’d choose Alsobrooks “if the November election was today,” while 42 percent said they’d vote for Hogan. Alsobrooks also has a 63 percentage point lead among Black voters.
“In this poll, 9 percent of the respondents are still undecided about the Senate race. Given that the margin of difference here is 7 percentage points, the outcome of how they vote will determine the winner,” said Nina Kasniunas, associate professor of political science at Goucher College. “What’s not clear from this poll is whether those voters are undecided because they need more information about who Alsobrooks [is] or whether
these are folks who previously supported Hogan as governor but are torn about supporting him for the Senate.”
While this seat would normally be a sure thing for Democrats, the stepping down of Sen. Ben Cardin (DMd.) in May 2023 opened up the door for Hogan, a Republican with enough popularity to potentially turn the normally blue seat to red.
“The outcome of this race will be critical to determining which party controls the Senate,” said Kasniunas.
Democrats currently enjoy a slim majority in the Senate, which means the Maryland contest could tip the balance of power to either side of the aisle in the Congress’ upper chamber.
“Today’s poll demonstrates what we’ve known for a while: Marylanders understand we must defend our Democratic Senate majority to protect our freedoms, fight for safer communities, and lower costs so hardworking families can not just get by, but can thrive,” said Alsobrooks in a statement to the AFRO. “But we also know we still have a lot of work
left to do, and this will be a tight race.”
With less than 50 days remaining in the election cycle, Alsobrooks said she’ll continue “traveling to every corner of our state to remind Marylanders what exactly is at stake in this race – their futures.”
In a May poll by Emerson College Polling, Alsobrooks got 48 percent in a hypothetical matchup of the November election, while Hogan got 38 percent. About 14 percent of registered voters were undecided.
Blake Kernen, campaign spokeswoman for Hogan, said “even in a poll like” this one “Hogan is gaining ground.”
“He’s working to win every vote and represent all Marylanders.”
The September poll also found that the economy is a top issue for 40 percent of likely voters. Following the economy is crime (14 percent), housing affordability (14 percent), threats to democracy (8 percent), education (8 percent), immigration (5 percent), health care (5 percent) and abortion access (3 percent).
the pair moved to Miami, Jackson’s father eventually became a Miami-Dade school board attorney, while her mother worked her way to become a school principal. It was in Miami that Jackson’s start began to shine. She was elected class president while attending Miami Palmetto Senior High School and by 1988 she was studying at Harvard University. There, she crossed paths with another Harvard student, Patrick Jackson. After graduating from Harvard in 1992, the future judge went on to Harvard Law School and both graduated and married in 1996.
After completing clerkships for three different judges, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Jackson worked with private law firms and in government for a number of years. In 2012, after working with the U.S. Sentencing Commission and serving as a prosecutor, Jackson was selected by then President Barack Obamato serve on the federal District
Court of Washington, D.C.
His nomination didn’t receive a vote, so he nominated Jackson again the next year. In 2013 she was successfully confirmed. Years later, in April 2021, President Joe Biden asked that Jackson be appointed to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In a 53 to 44 vote, she was confirmed into the role on June 14, 2021, paving the way for her name to be put forth when an opening came up on the Supreme Court the very next year.
The mother of two spoke on the changes she experienced as she ascended through the ranks and took on different types of judgeships.
“I was a trial judge for the longest period of time in my career. I was seven and a half– eight years– in a courtroom where I controlled everything. I was one judge,” she told the packed room of attendees. “Appellate decision making is very challenging when you have to actually work with other judges, like
voting on the outcomes.”
During the Charm City leg of her book tour, Justice Jackson spoke about the moment her journey from law student to clerk to judge and finally, a member of the U.S. Supreme Court was fully realized.
“I think the moment that hit me– the first moment–was the day I was confirmed. I actually went to the White House for the vote call, and it was really overwhelming to watch the votes come in,” said Jackson, of that historic April day in 2022. Jackson said that her book highlights core values taught to her and passed down to her daughter.
“On the day of my divestiture as a district court judge, my first judicial appointment, I gave a speech in my daughter’s middle school: ‘Work hard, be kind, have faith, and believe that anything is possible,’” Jackson told the audience. “I think those values – you’ll see from my story of the book– are things that I try to live by.”
Courtesy photo
Hundreds of people line up outside of the Pratt Library to hear U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speak. Shown here, from left to right: Madelynn Huff, Yale University sophomore; Alice Pinderhughes, attorney; Brenda Reed, of Fort Washington, Md.; Honorable Kurt Schmoke, former mayor of Baltimore City and current president of the University of Baltimore; LaVonda Reed, dean of the University of Baltimore, School of Law; Dr. Maggie Caples, of Cockeysville, Md., and Dr. Patricia Schmoke, an ophthalmologist in Baltimore
On Nov. 5, we must ‘be about’ voting – especially young people
By Dr. Frances ‘Toni’ Draper Word In Black
The lyrics of an old Negro Spiritual poignantly declare, “Everybody talkin’ ’bout Heaven ain’t goin’ there.” Unfortunately, in 2024, despite all the discussion and debate about the presidential election, everybody talking about voting ain’t going there, either.
It’s one thing to talk about the importance of this year’s presidential election, with Vice President Kamala Harris poised to become the first woman of color to hold the highest office in the land. It’s one thing to talk about the need to register and vote, but it’s another thing to actually register and then go to the polls on Nov. 5, Election Day.
With all of the chaos, chatter, and confusion surrounding our democracy and our right as Black people to vote, it is more important than ever this election cycle that we not just talk about it but that we “be about it” — be about registering as many people as possible, be about helping people get to the polls, and be about understanding Project 2025, the right-wing blueprint that former President Donald Trump will almost certainly unroll if he wins the election.
Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper is CEO and publisher of the AFRO American Newspapers. This week, she discusses the importance of having an Election Day plan and the importance of the youth voice as we move closer to Nov. 5.
We have to “be about” sending money not only to the Harris/Walz campaign but to down-ballot candidates running for the Senate and the House of Representatives whose policies and platforms align with your beliefs. That includes supporting Angela Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County, Md., official who is running to become just the third Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate.
We must “be about” making a voting plan, and sticking to it — a plan that says, “If it rains, I vote; if it snows, I vote.” And if we don’t want to take a chance on something unforeseen happening on Nov. 5, we must “be about” requesting, filling out and submitting a mail-in ballot or voting early, if your state allows it.
Most importantly, we must “be about” knowing our voter registration status today and making certain we are still eligible to vote.
According to the Pew Research Center, “Black voters could play an important role in determining the outcome of key 2024 elections,” including the race between Harris and Trump. In Georgia, a closely-watched swing state, Black voters account for a third of all eligible voters in the state.
The Black college student vote
Another group that plays a pivotal role in the voting landscape is the newly eligible young adult college student voter.
A 2021 report from the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education said that “the voter turnout among college students jumped to a record high of 66 percent in the 2020 presidential
election. And the student “yield” — the percentage at which students who are registered voters actually cast ballots — hit 80 percent. The report called it “an important milestone and signal that they are vested in their own futures and the health of democracy.”
Still, the report did not differentiate between Black and White students, so I decided to do a very informal, albeit extremely limited, poll of my own. I asked a few of our family’s college students who are first-time voters three questions:
1. What excites you the most about voting in this upcoming presidential election?
2. What scares you the most about voting in this upcoming election?
3. What’s your voting plan?
Eva Lee, 19 Freshman, Georgia Southern University
“I am excited to be a part of history and voting for the first Black woman in the election. I look forward to seeing how positive and hopeful Kamala Harris’ campaign is. I can’t wait to see new voters exercise their right to vote, especially Black teens. We all have a voice, and this is our chance to use it.
Something that scares me is the hateful side of politics. I feel like it’s normalized to throw insults and spew misinformation and for our country, that is most bothersome. I hope the side that genuinely cares about us, the citizens, is chosen, where our rights will be respected and there’s less hate and more love for improving our livelihoods. I’m registering to vote here in Savannah!”
Collin McLain, 18, Freshman, Tuskegee University
“I’m most excited about finally having the chance to vote and to be able to assist towards making a change in this country. With such high stakes, the outcome of this election could significantly shape the future.
What scares me the most about voting is feeling like my single vote is just one amongst millions and might not make much of a difference on its own. I plan to request and mail in an absentee ballot.”
Lyric Hamilton, 18 Freshman, Louisiana State University
“I am most excited for the experience to be able to vote: walking into the building, waiting in line, actually getting in the booth to vote. It’s a very surreal feeling knowing I can impact all of the U.S., from my singular vote on who helps run the government. It is such an honor and a privilege to be a part of something that African Americans weren’t always
Make a plan to “be about it”
allowed to have — especially at my age. What scares me the most is which candidate to choose. Each has their own flaws, and those flaws worry me sometimes. I’m not 100 percent settled on one person because neither of them lives Godly lives. I do know that whatever candidate seems closest to God is the one that I’ll be more than happy to support in this upcoming election. I hope whoever I choose doesn’t let us down, if they win, of course and strengthens America more than ever before. I plan to drive home on Election Day to vote, after my class ends at noon.”
Blake Evans, 18 Freshman, Baylor University
What excites me about voting in the upcoming election is voting with my family. As African Americans, it is an honor to be able to vote. Our ancestors fought for this right, and therefore, I will be going to the polls with my parents and my brother! I wouldn’t say I’m scared about voting in the upcoming election, but I am worried about my lack of preparation. They don’t talk much about the voting process in schools, nor do they talk about everything we’ll be voting on. As I mentioned already, I will be going home on Election Day to vote with my family.”
David Lee, Jr., 22
Senior, Georgia Institute of Technology
“I am excited to drive voter registration and education efforts on campus this election cycle. I am concerned about the level of misinformation that surrounds this election and worried about the long-term repercussions of this intentional falsification of reality within my community. I go to school in my hometown, so I plan to vote in person on Nov. 5.”
Clearly, these young people have a plan to “be about it” as voters in their first presidential election. They are excited and anxious at the same time. But mostly they are full of optimism about going to the polls or mailing in their ballots.
Still, they also need to be prepared for those who don’t want them — or us — to exercise our right to vote: those who are spreading misinformation, interfering with a free and fair election, name-calling, lie-telling and plotting to overturn the election results.
There are those who revel in what my cousin Laura Murphy calls “shenanigans.”
A seasoned civil rights and civil liberties lawyer, she reached out to her network for a toolkit of resources and election protection organizations, handy information for voters of any age:
1. Find out if you are registered, how to register and make an election-day plan by checking the Legal Defense Fund website.
2. Keep this number handy: 866-OUR-VOTE. Share it broadly. Use it If you encounter problems or interference at the polls.
3. Join Win With Black Women to help in this election cycle
All our Word in Black publications have posted voter information on their sites; some even have links to other sites where you can check your voter registration. That includes: • The Atlanta Voice, Voice Your VotE • AFRO News, AFRO Votes
• The New York Amsterdam News, Election 2024
• The Seattle Medium, 2024 Elections Center
• The Washington Informer, Vote Your Future
Let us all “be about it” during this and every election cycle. Check your voter registration status, make an Election Day plan and follow it. Encourage others to vote, utilize the suggested resources and prepare for a grand celebration in November!
Washington Mystics’ Ariel Atkins surprises Moten Elementary
with $15,000 in classroom gifts
By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer msayles@afro.com
Teachers and aides at Ward 8’s Moten Elementary School just received more than $15,000 in classroom gifts from Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins. The WNBA player teamed up with the Lids Foundation, a philanthropic organization that provides direct support to local communities and other charitable nonprofits, to surprise
“We always operate under the impression that the classroom is the second teacher.”
the educators during an assembly on Sept. 16.
This is Atkin’s second time organizing a teacher appreciation celebration in the District.
“Our goal is to show gratitude to teachers and their aides by providing them with essential classroom items that could enhance their classroom environment, as well as the student’s experience,” said Atkins, in a statement.
D.C. Councilmember aims to revitalize downtown area, increase affordable housing
forward.’ “
Early voting begins in Virginia
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO
Early voting began on Friday, Sept. 20 in Virginia – the first state in the nation to allow in-person voting in the 2024 presidential election. Voters can continue to vote through Nov. 2, the Saturday before Election Day, which will arrive on Nov. 5.
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO
By Aria Brent AFRO Staff Writer abrent@afro.com
D.C. Councilmember Robert White is on a mission to renovate downtown D.C.
On the morning of Sept. 24, White, who is chair of the Committee on Housing, welcomed local and
On Monday, Sept. 23, D.C. Circulator workers, customers and supporters gathered on the steps of the Wilson Building in downtown
national leaders to discuss housing and economic recovery in a public roundtable discussion. Additionally, people from across the nation with experience in revitalizing their communities were in attendance.
“The idea of building communities, the things that support communities, investing and enlarging the
Washington, D.C. in efforts to both maintain service and save the jobs of employees who will be let go when bus service ends this year.
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced the decision to eliminate the
arts downtown and creating outdoor markets– that is our future,” said White. “But I want to hear from people who disagree with me. I’m inviting not just people who share my vision, but people who see it differently so we can say, ‘OK, now it’s time. We’ve heard everything. Time to make decisions and move
Circulator’s service in late July after its funding was cut. Beginning Oct. 1, several routes will be terminated and service on other routes will be rolled back. Service will stop completely by Dec. 31.
With hopes of solidifying a plan by the end of the year, White is aiming to get this process started sooner rather than later.
Mayor Muriel Bowser shared her five-year-plan earlier in the year and she’s looking to see more people come back to in-person work. White, however, doesn’t see that happening.
The mayor’s plan has multiple foundational elements. Bowser aims to create business space; reestablish downtown as a place to safely live, work and play; build up the residential base and improve transportation.
“Mayor Bowser and some other groups have plans, and the government has programs, but we don’t yet have an overarching vision or strategy. That’s a dangerous space to linger in for too long,” he said. “We have to know very
Officials advise checking your registration status online or by calling before visiting your local registrar’s office to vote. According to the Virginia Department of Elections, you do not have to have a reason or fill out an application to vote early. However, voters must provide their name, address and show an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the registrar’s office before voting. Virginia residents who desire to vote must register by Oct. 15, but even after that deadline they may register. According to information released by the Virginia Department of Elections, “same day registration refers to the ability to register to vote in-person and immediately vote a provisional ballot after the deadline to register and vote a non-provisional ballot has passed.” This is available due to a law passed not long ago.
“Beginning with the 2022 General Election, the General Assembly approved legislation that provides the ability to register at any time, up to and including Election Day,” according to the Virginia Department of Elections. Previously, registration was closed for the 21 days before an election; there was no ability to register to vote after this deadline. The new law allows registration, with limitations, during the 21-day period before an election.”
Other states where early voting has started include Minnesota and South Dakota.
In Washington, D.C., the deadline to register to vote online or by mail is Oct. 15. Those who wish to vote early may do so between Monday, Oct. 28 and
Photo Courtesy of D.C. City Council
Councilmember Robert White is working to revitalize downtown and make housing in the area more affordable in the D.C. area.
Photo courtesy of Meta (Facebook) / ATU Local 689
The D.C. Department of Transportation is under pressure after announcing the upcoming closure of the Circulator, District’s free
Atkins
Continued from B1
“We want them to feel appreciated and valued for the undeniable impact they make every day on their students.”
The classroom gifts included general school supplies, decor, bean bag chairs, twinkle lights and interactive rugs. Teachers and aides also received Visa gift cards to splurge on themselves and Lids store gift cards to give out to students as classroom prizes.
Moten Elementary Principal Akela Dogbe, who covertly retrieved wishlists from the educators, said the celebration came at the perfect time.
“My teachers deserve to feel special,” said Dogbe. “It was great to be able to celebrate them now because this is about the fourth week of school for us. People start counting down to Thanksgiving break, and the excitement of a new school year has kind of worn off.”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 94 percent of teachers dip into their pockets to purchase classroom supplies. On average, educators in urban communities spend $529 each school year.
Dogbe said the school provides basic materials, like paper, pens and pencils. But, other personal-
ized items that foster a warm, welcoming environment are left to the teachers to buy. Cultivating a comfortable environment in the classroom is important for students, according to the principal.
“We always operate under the impression that
Councilman White
Continued from B1
clearly where we’re going, what it’s going to take to get there, and how we get from where we are now to there. That requires us to keep our foot on the gas.”
Mayor Bowser and President Biden have both sounded off about workers returning to traditional office settings as a way of helping revitalize downtown, but White doesn’t think that’s very likely.
“It’s not happening. Don’t waste your energy. Workers are demanding flexibility. Talented people are going to drive the market,” he said. “Let’s turn the page and stop looking at yesterday. Let’s go forward.”
Sydney Stewart, an off-campus student at Howard University gave her thoughts on the efforts by local leaders.
“I appreciate the convenience of working from home, it’s easier, but also downtown can be kind of scary at night,” said “People are living on top of each other and there’s a major crisis going on with the homeless community.”
the classroom is the second teacher,” said Dogbe. “Kids want to be in pretty spaces just like adults do. Infusing more colors, more places where they can lounge around and do their work and more flexible seating makes the experience better for them.”
Dogbe disguised the assembly as a celebration for Moten Elementary’s performance on the 2023 D.C. Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE). The school climbed 12 points in mathematics and eight points in English language arts.
Early voting
Continued from B1
“People who work in our restaurants and accommodate tourists– those are the folks who keep our economy revving, but they can’t afford to live in D.C. now. We have too much office space and an urgent need for more housing.”
Stewart noted the growing need for housing in the downtown area, not only as a way of combating homelessness, but for everyday people looking to live near their jobs and within city limits.
“The cost of living overall is insane but especially for housing,” she said. “We need affordable housing downtown. I’m sure it would help make the area more appealing and it would make more people want to come there.”
White emphasized the importance of making living in the downtown area more affordable to those that help keep the businesses in that area afloat.
“People who work in our restaurants and accommodate tourists– those are the folks who keep our economy revving–but they can’t afford to live in D.C. now,” said White. “We have too much office space and an urgent need for more housing.”
Dogbe said it has not made gains like that since before the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in learning loss for elementary and other students across the country.
“We’re going to keep soaring and doing the things we know work.
Sunday, Nov. 3. Qualified non-citizen residents of D.C. can vote in D.C. elections for local offices. However, non-citizens cannot vote for federal offices. Check the D.C. Board of Elections website for more information and details on how to register to vote.
In Maryland, early voting will be held from Thursday, Oct. 24 through Thursday, October 31, with early voting centers open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone who is registered to vote or who is eligible to register
We’re going to keep having amazing tier-one instruction in our classrooms that are now so beautifully decorated,” said Dogbe. “We’re going to keep offering high-impact tutoring for every student in the building, and we’re going to keep climbing.”
to vote can vote during early voting. While laws differ from state to state, in Maryland, people convicted of a felony can vote if the felony convictions are not for the crime of buying or selling votes and if they have completed their imprisonment. You can vote while on probation unless you were convicted of buying or selling votes. In Virginia, those convicted of a felony permanently lose the right to vote. And in the District, as of July 2020, those who are incarcerated have the right to vote.
Unsplash / Element5 Digital Early voting is in progress in the state of Virginia.
Photo courtesy of D.C. State Board of Education
Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins shows her appreciation for Moten Elementary School teachers and aides with $15,000 in classroom supplies and decor. The WNBA player surprised educators at the Ward 8 school on Sept. 16.
Prince George’s County teens robbed at bus stop
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO
Two teens were robbed at gunpoint for their high-priced, luxury shoes on Sept. 19. The crime took place while the students were waiting at a school bus stop in Prince George’s County.
One shot was fired but no one was injured during the robbery, according to local police, who believe the teens were targeted because they were wearing Lanvin sneakers – a French designer brand that retails upwards of $1,000 depending on the style and type.
The incident occurred just before 7 a.m. in the 15900 block of Livingston Road in Accokeek. During the incident, a car pulled up to the bus stop and a suspect exited the vehicle and demanded the boys to give up their shoes. After the suspect fired one gunshot, the students ran for cover.
The thieves escaped with the sneakers of one teen, whose mother told reporters that he had purchased them after saving money from summer jobs. The second teen was able to keep his sneakers. Police continue to investigate the incident but have not shared any information about the vehicle used in the robbery or the assailants.
In recent years, Lanvin sneakers have grown in popularity within the fashion industry, particularly as a go-to brand for streetwear. Celebrities including Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott and David Beckham have all been seen wearing Lanvin sneakers, further popularizing the brand.
Experts see AI contributing to election misinformation with little federal government response
By Shaun Chornobroff Capital News Service
As millions of Americans prepare to cast their ballots in the election, the federal government has done little to mitigate public fears surrounding the potential influence of artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes.
Despite multiple bipartisan bills being introduced in both the Senate and the House, Congress has yet to enact any legislation and is unlikely to do so before the election.
“Those tools are being used to mislead voters about elections and spread falsehoods about candidates,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, said on Tuesday, Sept 23, during an AIfocused hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee’s privacy, technology and the law subcommittee. Blumenthal chairs the panel.
An Elon University survey in May found that more than three-quarters of Americans believe AI abuses will affect the outcome of the presidential election.
Capital News Service talked to multiple experts in AI and politics who explained that, while there are concerns surrounding AI, the evolving technology changing the outcome of elections is not among them.
“Will AI potentially convince some voters to vote for one candidate instead of another? Maybe,” said Dr. Keegan McBride, an AI, government and policy expert at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. “Will they be able to convince a couple hundred thousand voters in Pennsylvania that they should vote for candidate A instead of Candidate B? Probably not.”
AI has already made its presence known in the 2024 presidential election cycle.
In June 2023, a video shared by the campaign team for one-time Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis showed a fake photo of former President Donald Trump hugging Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and former chief medical advisor to the president.
Trump also posted AI images on Truth Social in August of singer Taylor Swift and her fans supposedly endorsing him. Swift endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris after the Sept. 10 debate between Harris and Trump.
Most notably, robocalls in New Hampshire impersonated President Joe Biden and discouraged citizens from voting in the state’s January primary. Steven Kramer, a political consultant, admitted to masterminding the plan and is facing 26 criminal charges, as well as a $6 million fine from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The agency ruled on Feb. 8 that AI-
generated voices used in robocalls are illegal.
“We’re putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
While these instances drew widespread coverage, Dr. Cody Buntain, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland’s College of Information, said the examples the public has seen thus far haven’t had the intended effect.
“They’re notable because they weren’t convincing and no one bought them,” Buntain said. “Very quickly the country
garbage than ever before,” Loge said. “Making up stuff about your opponents, making up news stories, doctoring photographs, deepfakes - lies aren’t new.”
For decades, trust in the federal government has been eroding. In 1964, 77 percent of people said they trusted the government, according to the Pew Research Center. Sixty years later, that number sits at 22 percent.
The inability to distinguish truth from generative AI has the potential to exacerbate this trend, multiple experts said.
“It’s easier to generate garbage than ever before and it’s easier to circulate garbage than ever before. Making up stuff about your opponents, making up news stories, doctoring photographs, deepfakes - lies aren’t new.”
and the news media jumped on them, said ‘this is totally not legit,’ and we’ve sort of all agreed with that.”
While swaying the results of the election was not a prevalent concern with any of the experts, each said AI has the potential to fuel further public distrust of government and the political system.
Peter Loge, the founding director of the Project on Ethics in Political Communication at The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs, has more than three decades of experience in politics. When he first started out in the industry, campaigns were cutting and pasting images. That changed when Photoshop became popular.
“It was cutting and pasting, but way better and faster,” said Loge.
Generative AI is the latest evolution, he said.
“It’s easier to generate garbage than ever before and it’s easier to circulate
On Aug. 7, Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, held a rally in Detroit, where a photo of an estimated 15,000-person crowd circulated on social media. Four days later, Trump said on Truth Social that the photos were AI-generated.
The photo was authentic, but Loge believes that Trump’s false AI claim represents a major problem.
“You get to claim that the real is fake because everybody believes that everything is being faked anyway, and that increases cynicism,” Loge said. ”It decreases confidence in campaigns and democracy, all of which is very bad.”
In lieu of federal legislation regarding AI and the election, individual states have sought to address the matter. At least 19 states have passed laws since 2019 regulating the use of AI in political messaging, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In Maryland, six state lawmakers in February proposed legislation requiring campaigns to disclose the use of artificial intelligence for political materials.
The bill, which was similar to those passed in a number of other states, saw no action in this year’s legislative session.
“We need a disclosure if there’s an image. We need a disclosure if there’s media. We need a disclosure if there’s audio,” Del. Anne Kaiser, D-Montgomery County, said during a Feb. 27 committee hearing. “This bill would codify Maryland’s election law.”
With the Congress scheduled to go on an election break next week, it’s becoming increasingly likely that there will be more consequence-free AI ads and deepfakes before Election Day.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, told Axios on Thursday that he wants Congress to adopt a laissez-faire approach to AI for the time being.
“We got to build consensus on what the right approach is, but I think you’ll see a lot of emphasis on that in the first quarter of next year,” Johnson said.
While AI is unlikely to influence the result of the election, Buntain did offer a potential doomsday scenario come November if the vote tally is close.
“If people are uncertain about the outcome of the election, and there’s a certain cohort of the population who already don’t have a lot of trust in the electoral process,” he said, “then the use of AI In particular manipulated imagery has a much more risky potential to at least get people out into the streets and stir up feelings of anger and resentment and mobilize people.”
This article was originally published by CNS.
Unsplash/ Alex Preusser
Law enforcement officials believe expensive sneakers are at the heart of a crime against two Prince George’s County students, recently robbed at gunpoint while waiting for a bus to school.
Unsplash / Elliott Stallion
As Election Day 2024 nears, experts say concerns about the influence of artificial intelligence on voters are growing.
Embassy of Belize celebrates 43rd anniversary of independence
By Patricia McDougall Special to
the
AFRO
On Friday, September 20, 2024, His Excellency Lynn Young, ambassador of Belize to the United States of America, celebrated the country’s 43rd Independence Day at the Organization of the American States (OAS) - Hall
of the Americas in Washington D.C.
Belize received its independence from Britain on September 21, 1981. Several dignitaries were there to participate in the festivities, including Ambassador Young, who is also a Permanent Representative of Belize to the OAS.
The Assistant Secretary to OAS, Ambassador Nestor
Mendez, and his staff hosted the invited guests in style.
The crowd was entertained with a live band and a DJ, who played some original folk punta rock songs from Belize. Meesha Steel, a Belizean vocalist, joined with Alex Colon for a tribute to Andy Palacio, a Belizean punta musician. The crowd danced around the room proudly waving Belizean flags to the sound of the Garifuna drums.
All photos by Patricia McDougall
Nestor Mendez (left) OAS assistant secretary general and His Excellency Lynn Raymond Young, Ambassador of Belize to the U.S., pose with their spouses,Margaret Althea Young and Elvira Mendez (right).
Cinnamon Bottaro, deputy chief of Mission Embassy of Belize D.C., speaks at the Belize Independence Day celebration.
Patrick Realiza (left), Kimberly Bassett, secretary of State for Washington, D.C., and Anthony Andrews, director of International Affairs and Protocol Officer for the D.C. Office of the Mayor, enjoy the Belizean Independence Day celebration.
Brandon Ramsay (left) and Eden Tadesse
Kendall Belisle, advisor to the Assistant Secretary General at the Organization of American States, makes an appearance.
Alex Colon-Oaniyan (left), Mesah Steele, Colwyn Mitchell and Clayton William entertain the crowd.
Attendees enjoy the festivities in honor of Belizean independence.
Left: A Belizean flag is added to a sweet treat offered to embassy visitors.
Above, right: Ferida Fernandes (left) and her husband, Barbados Ambassador to the United States, Victor Fernandes celebrate Belizean Independence.
Dr. Regina Crawford speaks on importance of testing for sickle cell trait in Black community
By Aria Brent AFRO Staff Writer abrent@afro.com
Sickle cell disease
(SCD) is an inherited disorder that affects over 100,000 people in the United States, according to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, of that number, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that “90 percent are non-Hispanic Black or African American, and an estimated 3–9 percent are Hispanic or Latino.”
Although there is no way of preventing the disease, being educated about your chances of carrying the sickle trait is extremely important–especially for people who are planning families.
Dr. Regina Crawford, a hematologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, emphasizes the importance of blood testing to know more about the chances of passing sickle cell disease down the family line.
Dr. Regina Crawford, a hematologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently spoke with the AFRO to explain how the disease works, how to get tested for it and why it affects the Black community at such a high rate.
AFRO: What is sickle cell disease and how does it affect the body ?
RC: Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder. It’s not one that you acquire later in life or due to any other reason. You get one affected gene from each parent and that’s why there are folks who are carriers that have this disorder. It affects the body because of the mutation that happens at the genetic level. The red blood cells that carry oxygen in the body become very sticky where they normally are flexible– like a jelly bean. And while the normal red blood cells carry oxygen to different tissues, the sickle cell can get trapped in very small vessels like in the lungs, kidneys and the eyes. Because of them being trapped it can cut off the blood supply, causing damage to the surrounding tissues in that organ. Particular areas
like the back, the pelvis, the arms and shoulders can deal with a cut off of blood supply, causing a lot of pain.
AFRO: Why does this disease affect Black people at such a disproportionate rate, as opposed to their White counterparts ?
RC: Sickle cell came about as a defense against malaria and the highest regions and concentrations of this are in Mediterranean and African areas, along with areas in the Middle East where malaria is still pretty rampant. It was nature’s way of adapting to it in an attempt to not die off as easily. However, as people migrate to different areas of the world that genetic condition goes with them and if two people who are carriers happen to marry or meet up, their children can have the disease.
AFRO: Can you explain the genetic biology of sickle cell disease ? If my partner and I were to both carry the gene, but neither of us have sickle cell disease, how does our child end up with it ?
RC: If both parents are carriers of genes, there is a certain percentage chance that with each pregnancy the child has a chance of not having the disease, being a carrier or ending up with the disease. And that’s with each child and that’s why one person can be affected with sickle cell disease in the family, but everybody else is okay; or everyone can have the disease and it’s one person that doesn’t have it, or is a carrier. The chances are there with each pregnancy and so that’s how the parents don’t have the symptoms of the disease, because they’re carriers.
AFRO: How vital is blood testing when trying to make yourself more aware of you or your
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “if both parents have the sickle cell trait, there is a 25 percent (or 1 in 4) chance that any child of theirs will have sickle cell disease. There is the same 25 percent (or 1 in 4) chance that the child will not have sickle cell disease or the sickle cell trait.”
child’s likelihood of having sickle cell ?
RC: Blood testing is very vital. Here in the U.S., most states do newborn screenings of all infants and that’s how it’s usually picked up. Either that or shortly after birth. Some are done in the prenatal testing panel and that’s how it’s picked up in early childhood or newborn periods. If you’ve come from overseas or don’t remember testing as an adult, the ideal test to get when you’re older is a hemoglobin
electrophoresis. It’s a type of test that separates out the different blood hemoglobins and that can tell you if you’re normal, have the sickle cell trait or have one of the variants. Some of the tests can pick up other variant hemoglobin at that time. There are other blood tests as well that are helpful in picking up just sickle cell, but it doesn’t tell you what variant you have. And that’s why it’s actually very important that hemoglobin electrophoresis is done– they’ll tell you exactly what you have.
Experts say exercise and healthy life choices key in maintaining cognitive ability
By Reginald Williams Special to the AFRO
For many aging adults, cognitive decline can create a good bit of anxiety.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “while older Black Americans are twice as likely as older Whites to have Alzheimer’s or another dementia, research hasn’t yet identified the cause.” The organization also reports that “among Black Americans ages 70 and older, 21.3 percent are living with Alzheimer’s, a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior.”
Monica Ziegler’s mom and dad, Jean and Chester Preyar, were both diagnosed in their mid-60s – Jean with Alzheimer’s and Chester with dementia. Both educators, Ziegler, began to notice personality changes in her parents.
“He was working at A&T (North Carolina A&T University) and couldn’t remember many things. He lost his sense of smell and then he couldn’t remember normal things like who was the president, or how to use the phone,” said Ziegler.
Her dad, a physically fit walker, had a penchant for leaving home and walking for miles to places unknown after being diagnosed.
Experts say lifestyle and social indoctrination are the primary culprits driving neurodegenerative disease–not aging.
“Aging is not a disease,” said Dr. Sharon Brangman, chair of the Department of Geriatrics at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. “It’s a part of the natural process,” Multitasking, the often celebrated and exalted expertise, is a primary felon of brain decline.
Socially, multitasking is believed to be an aptitude that yields numerous benefits. Research suggests that it reduces procrastination
while increasing engagement and productivity. Business experts favor multitasking because they think it saves time and reduces costs. One employee’s assumed multitasking flexibility often eliminates the need to hire additional employees. Experts believe multitasking improves mental agility. Medical research, however, counters the business perspective on multitasking.
According to Brangman, mind juggling poses one of the greatest threats to cognitive brain health.
“There’s a saying that multitasking makes you stupid. Your brain just can’t do multiple things at the same time, and it becomes even more difficult as we get older,” said
“If you want to improve your brain power as you get older, exercising is probably the number one thing to do. Just take a walk. Combine that walking with a friend—socialization is very, very good for our brain as we get older.”
Unsplash/ Nappy
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, roughly 21 percent of Black Americans over the age of 70 are challenged by Alzheimer’s, “¨a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior.”
Brangman, who also serves as the director of the Center of Excellence in Alzheimer’s Disease. “Your boss or someone you work or interact with thinks it’s great if you can try to do multiple things at the same time. But our brains were made to do just one thing at a time. Actually, if you try to multitask, you can slow down brain functions.”
Additionally, Black people are at higher risk of suffering from other health issues.
African Americans are disproportionately affected by high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and heart disease. Lack of sleep and stress also exacerbate a disease cycle, too often caused by life choices and a lack of options tied to better health outcomes. This curates the perfect environment for chronic illnesses and diseases including dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Our lifestyle is sometimes stressing our brain out. There are many things that are considered normal parts of our everyday function that are not really good for our brains,” explained Brangman, who contends that stress is a driving force.
Stress, which creates cortisol and epinephrine or adrenaline, is a considerable issue in poor brain health. It serves as the foundational problem that leads to multiple health problems. According to Brangman, there is emerging research looking
at how stress reactions to things like discrimination and racism affect brain function.
“Stress and The Mental Health Population of Color: Advancing Our Understanding of Race-related Stress,” a study published by the National Institute of Health, dissects the complexity of psychological distress worn by Blacks. Over time, stress keeps Black people on high alert. Subsequently, it alters and often elevates blood pressure. It also changes the way the body manages sugar and causes increased incidents of diabetes.
“Stress is a very bad thing for us long term,” said Brangman, speaking of African Americans. “Sometimes we are so quietly stressed that we don’t even recognize it—it’s just there in the background, but our bodies are responding to it.” Brangman, a trustee for the McKnight Brain Research Foundation (MBRF), is answering the call to address data that suggests up to onethird of Americans feel uninformed about normal brain aging. As adults
grow older, they live with the anxiety that they are experiencing mental health declines because of their penchant to forget.
As a person ages, their brain will change in how it functions. However, forgetting things like why you entered a room or not being able to remember someone’s name is a natural, normal process of aging. Brangman maintains that the brain holds thoughts—storing lots of information. It behaves like a computer’s hard drive filled with data.
“It might take a little longer to get through all those files to get the right word out,” said Brangman. However, when forgetting information impacts the ability to get through the day, like what the Preyars experienced, it is the time to see a medical professional about overall brain health.
Ziegler and her sister have concerns about their chances of being diagnosed with some sort of mental malady. However, experts from Centers Sinai Hospital say that genetics account for about a seven percent risk that either will be affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. Despite the prevalence of brain decline in African Americans, intentionally making good health choices reduces the risk of brain decay. Brangman says it’s essential that we know what to do to maintain brain health.
“If you want to improve your brain power as you get older, exercising is probably the number one thing to do,” advised Brangman. “Just take a walk. Combine that walking with a friend— socialization is very, very good for our brain as we get older.”
Brangman adds, “our brains are built for interactions with people. If you take a walk with a friend and talk, you’re helping your brain in two different ways.”
Brangman adds that a proper diet means avoiding processed foods and prioritizing good-quality sleep. See more on afro.com
Photo courtesy of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Photo courtesy of Center for Control
Elijah Mackey, 12-year-old author, set to speak at AnimalCon
By Reginald Williams Special to the AFRO
The days of adolescent boys romping outside in the dirt, chasing insects and cozying up with toads appear to be a passion of the past. Instead of exploring nature, many of today’s youth are more interested in and consumed by video gaming and social media. Still, even in this tech-obsessed age, there are those like Elijah Mackey, who some might call the proverbial “dinosaur.”
That’s because Elijah loves turtles.
He loves talking about them, and he loves caring for them. Elijah is the proud “parent” of seven turtles. Bowser was his first and Tank is the newest addition to the family.
Elijah hopes one day to own a 300-pound pond to house all his turtles– including the ones he doesn’t have just yet.
“This boy right here, he loves turtles. So much that if he had 200,046 turtles, he’ll always want another one,” said Nasir, Elijah’s eight-year-old brother.
Now, the Hampton, Va. native has immortalized this passion for turtles in his debut book, “Turtle Tales: Discovering The Watery World of Terrapins.”
Elijah penned the non-fiction read for youth ages five to 12 to support their learning about the native species of turtles in America.
The young author will travel to Orlando, Fla., Oct. 4-6 to speak about turtles at the AnimalCon USA conference. AnimalCon USA allows animal lovers to meet and talk with their favorite animal influencers and content curators. Elijah will be a panelist at the annual symposium, where he will showcase and discuss his book.
“I feel very excited about getting the opportunity to speak,” Elijah shared, with a surreal calmness. “I’m going to say some pretty cool stuff about turtles.”
Jara Clark, Elijah’s mom, shared how she informed her son of AnimalCon’s decision to select him as a panelist.
“When I told him, I caught him off guard,” said Clark. “I had him on tape trying to get his natural reaction—the boy is so cool. But [at] the moment of realization, his face softened and there was just pure excitement. The way he lit up are the moments I live for.”
The visit to Orlando will be the seventh grader’s first, but he has no interest in visiting Disney World or Universal Studios. Instead, Elijah wants to see alligators, iguanas and
more turtles.
Elijah’s love for turtles—the Red-Eared Slider being his favorite—was born about three years ago when he accepted the care of a friend’s unwanted pet turtle, Bowser. And he’s done an amazing job of caring for the reptile, Bowser, still alive today.
Elijah’s commitment to turtles extends beyond just caring for his own. He dedicates a good bit of his time volunteering. The Virginia Living Museum, a museum located in
Newport News, Va., showcases live exhibits in open air for visitors looking to understand the indigenous animal species of the Virginia area. The institution has become Elijah’s second home. He also volunteers at the Bunny Hutch Boutique, an exotic animal rescue shelter based in Virginia Beach. There, Elijah provides exotic animal care.
According to Clark, Elijah has always demonstrated a proclivity for aquatic animals. One of his pastimes is fishing. He owned his first fish, Strawberry Happy Fish, at age two. Clark, recognizing his passion, wanted to support it. She suggested doing research to support his understanding of his interest.
“I said, ‘Let’s go to the library and look up what you think you love about this and see what it is,’” explained Clark. “We [thought] marine biology might be where he was headed. But since then, it’s grown into orthology or
zoology. Now, we’ve rounded his love out to biology.”
Clark, a self-described “nature girl,” lives vicariously through her son. Clark is joyful of Elijah’s enthusiasm for terrapins.
“So many young men get pigeonholed into sports, I was like, ‘Do anything else. You can do sports too if that’s what you want, but do something intellectual first. Let’s lean all the way into that,’” said Clark.
“Childhood is so very important because they don’t have control over their experiences. It’s very limited to what they can create on their own,” she continued. “It’s been my job
to be the genie–‘What do you need? How can I help you get where you are trying to go?’” When Elijah presents at AnimalCon, it won’t be his first time speaking before large audiences. Elijah has spoken before elected officials and the public school administration in the past.
Elijah’s “Turtle Tales” is available at Amazon You can support the author, speaker, entrepreneur and aquatic animal enthusiast by visiting: https://www.zeffy.com/ ticketing/8ce74270-c461-478f-87e5406d918f2e64
Marley Brothers uphold father’s legacy with first tour in two decades
By Jonathan Landrum Jr. The Associated Press
Bob Marley’s musical legacy of harmony and peace has hit the road with his sons bringing their late father’s timeless message to life in a multi-city tour.
The reggae giant’s footsteps are being filled by his five sons — Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian — during the Marley Brothers: The Legacy Tour. It’s the first time the siblings have performed together on tour in two decades.
Marley’s sons are honoring his work, performing about 30 of their father’s songs including massive hits like “No Woman, No Cry,” “Could You Be Loved,” “Is This Love” and “Three Little Birds.” The 22-date tour kicked off in Vancouver and will conclude in early October in Miami.
“This was very important,” Ziggy said about the tour while his brothers Stephen and Julian sat beside him after a recent rehearsal in Los Angeles. The multi-Grammy winner said it was important for them to collectively find time in their busy schedules and pay homage to their father — who would have turned 80 in February 2025.
“When the opportunity arise, we can come get
together, cherish and appreciate it,” he continued. “That’s the big part of it — just being able to do this together. Time is moving.”
The Marley Brothers have their own reggae sounds but found a way to blend it all together. They’ve performed together since childhood including a Red Rocks performance in Colorado last year. Two or three have hit
the stage in other shows, like when Damian and Stephen performed at the Hollywood Bowl last month.
Julian said years of collaboration have fostered a deep musical synergy between his siblings — a natural extension of their shared lineage.
“His message goes beyond barriers. It breaks down barriers,” Julian said. “No
matter which country you go to, the people need the same message. That’s why this is so everlasting. Never ending. That is the reason we are here and doing this mission.”
Marley rose from the gritty Kingston, Jamaica, slum of Trench Town to reach superstar status in the 1970s with hits such as “Get Up, Stand Up” and “I Shot the Sheriff.” His lyrics promoting
social justice and African unity made him a global icon before he died from cancer in 1981 at age 36.
But Marley’s legacy has lived on through several projects including an
Damian has taken home five trophies and Ky-Mani has received a nomination.
Along with the tour, Stephen said they are looking to work on a new album together and push their
“His message goes beyond barriers. It breaks
down barriers. No matter which country you go to, the people need the same message. That’s why this is so everlasting. Never ending. That is the reason we are here and doing this mission.”
immersive exhibit in New York and his biopic “Bob Marley: One Love,” which debuted No. 1 at the box office in February.
Recently, the brothers were presented a proclamation that declared Sept. 22 as “Marley Brothers Day” in the Queens borough of New York.
His sons have upheld their father’s heritage while forging their own successful paths including Julian — who won his first-ever Grammy in February.
Ziggy and Stephen have each won eight Grammys;
father’s message of positivity forward. He said it’ll take some time but they aspire to get it “done in the near future.”
“The message in the music is what it’s really all about,” said Stephen, who curated the tour’s setlist. “For me, that message is so necessary now. Our father is one of those powerful ones that got this message across. That’s why we’re here.”
This article was originally published by The Associated Press.
AP Photo /Matt Licari/ Invision
Ziggy Marley (left), Julian Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, Damian Marley and Stephen Marley pose for a portrait during their tour, which features hits like “Is This Love” and “No Woman, No Cry,” from their father, Bob Marley.
Photo courtesy of Jara Clark and Alasha Bennett
Youth author Elijah “Eli” Mackey and his book, “Turtle Tales: Discovering The Watery World Of Terrapins,” are garnering national attention.
Upcoming events in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area
By Aria Brent AFRO Staff Writer abrent@afro.com
A variety of events will take place at the end of September, leading into the month of October. From expos and art shows to information sessions and film screenings, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in the next few weeks throughout the D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area.
A Black Souliloquy
A Black Souliloquy welcomes Black women to their monthly event, a time to blend creativity and reflection to help Black girls and women connect, unwind and grow together. This month they’ll be exploring the theme of “Finding Peace During Challenging Times,” while stimulating their creativity with a sand candle workshop. During the candle making guests will engage in an open and reflective discussion on maintaining peace and balance when life gets difficult.
Date: Sept. 28
Time: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Cahill Recreation Center 4001 Clifton Avenue Baltimore, MD 21216
DMV Black Student Leadership Conference
Black Student Development invites Black students from across the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area to Morgan State University for a day of inspiration, empowerment and connection. Come out for a day filled with insightful workshops, motivational speakers and networking opportunities.
Date: Oct. 4
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: Morgan State University 1700 East Cold Spring Lane Baltimore, MD 21251
Prostate Cancer Health Matters in Montgomery County
The Silver Spring Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity will host their event, “Prostate Cancer Health Matters,” in Montgomery County, Md. This event is open to all, including men, women and families, as prostate cancer is a disease that affects the entire community once a diagnosis is received.
The event will feature a showing of the film “The Black Walnut,” and the film’s producer, Terrance AferAnderson, will be featured in a panel discussion with a urologist and several prostate cancer survivors. The session will be aimed at debunking myths behind prostate cancer and treatment options.
Date: Oct. 5
Time: 12 - 3 p.m.
Location: 51 Mannakee St. (Science Building) Rockville, MD 2085
Black Wall Street Renaissance Pop-Up Shops
Join A-List Productions as they hold their monthly pop-up shop. Come out and enjoy a family-friendly environment that promotes unity, self love and healthy eating all the while keeping Black dollars in the Black community.
Date: Oct. 5
Time: 11 - 5 p.m.
Location: Everlasting Life Restaurant and Lounge 9185 Central Avenue Capitol Heights, MD 20743
Unbought and Unbossed: Shirley Watch Party and Panel Discussion
The Theta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host a watch party for the film, “Unbothered and Unbossed,” whic[8]h tells the legacy of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Following the film’s showing, a panel discussion will be held for attendees to hear from Maryland State Legislators.
As themonths transition from September to October, a host of family-friendly events are taking place throughout the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.
Bear Witness to Our Story
Morgan State University’s Counseling Center and NAMI Metro Baltimore invited the community to an evening focused on elevating the voices of students and faculty as they explore mental health experiences in the Black community.
Date: Oct.10
Time: 6 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Morgan State University
1700 East Cold Spring Lane Baltimore, MD 21251
Art to the Future - Art All Night on Pennsylvania Avenue East Main Street
Join the Penn Branch Center as they host the Art to the Future - Art All Night 2024. Guests can look forward to a night filled with creativity, inspiration and innovation. This year, the fourth annual Art All Night on PAEMS will offer a diverse range of artwork and interactive exhibits from local artists. Event attendees will be delighted with live music and goods from some of D.C.,’s best artisans, vendors and craft enthusiasts.
Date: Sept. 27
Time: 6 - 12 a.m.
Location: Penn Branch Center
3202 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20020
Below the Surface: A History in African American Printmaking
Black Art in America is hosting a free art show, highlighting contemporary printmakers from across the nation.
Date: Sept. 27- Nov. 2
Time: 11 - 6 p.m.
Location: 1201 K Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20005
A FORGOTTEN MIGRATION | Busboys and Poets
Come out to Busboys and Poets for, “A Forgotten Migration,” a production that tells the story of “segregation scholarships.” The funding was used by states in the Southern part of the U.S. to help Black students seeking graduate education prior to the Brown v. Board of Education era.
Date: Oct. 9
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Busboys and Poets 14th and V 2021 14th St NW Washington, D.C. 20009
Walking
Tour: Black Heritage Fort Monroe
Guests are invited to the Fort Monroe National Monument to explore the rich and dynamic history of “Freedom’s Fortress.”
Date: Oct. 1 - Nov. 8
Time: 1 - 2 p.m.
Location: 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA
Improving Birth Outcomes: Health Disparities and Black Birthing People
Virginia Commonwealth University Health office of Health Equity along with the Health Humanities Lab at the Humanities Research Center will host the 2024 History and Health annual symposium on Oct.2. The event will explore the history of reproductive healthcare policies, the social determinants fueling the ongoing Black maternal health crisis and strategies to combat the health and healthcare disparities.
Date: Oct. 2
Time: 12 - 4:30 p.m.
Location: 800 E Broad St Richmond, VA 23219
*All events listed are free to attend.
AFRO Photo / Aria Brent
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM999
JANE DAVIS ADAMS Name of Decedent
TYECHIA L. WHITE ESQ 300 NEW JERSEY AVE NW SUITE 300 WASHINGTON DC 20001
Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
BRANDON EUGENE ADAMS, whose address is 1305
CHALMERS RD was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JANE DAVIS ADAMS, who died on FEBRUARY 11, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 13, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 13, 2025 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 13, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
BRANDON EUGENE ADAMS Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/13, 9/20, 9/27/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO.
Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 13, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 13, 2025 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 13, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers NICOLE M. CHESTANG Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/13, 9/20, 9/27/24 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000790 ELNORA EASTER LEWIS AKA ELNORA E. LEWIS Name of Decedent D. GREER 1350 LEEGATE ROAD
2024ADM001028 DIANE GRAHAM Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs CHRISTINA LASHAWN GRAHAM, whose address is 624 RIDGE RD SE WASHINGTON DC 20019 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DIANE GRAHAM, who died on SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 20, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 20, 2025 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
CHRISTINA LASHAWN GRAHAM Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27,10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2024FEP000105 MAY 14, 2024 Date of Death
DONALD FLOYD JONES Name of Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
LINDA K. JONES whose address is 309 SERENA STREET, UPPER MARLBORO, MARYLAND 20774 was appointecd representative of the estate of DONALD FLOYD JONES deceased, by the REGISTER OF WILLS IN THE ORPHANS’ Court for PRINCE GEORGE’S County, State of MARYLAND, on SEPTEMBER 03, 2024. Service of process may be made upon PATRICIA BRADFORD 4800 FRANKLIN STREET, WASHINGTON DC 20018 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 3044
MONROE STREET N.E. WASHINGTON D.C. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 Name of newspaper, and/or periodical: The Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO-American
LINDA K. JONES Personal Reperesenative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27, 10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PROBATE DIVISION
ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001026 EUGENE R. BANKS Name of Decedent KHALFANI DRUMMER ESQ. 14310 BENTLEY PARK DR BURTONSVILLE MD 20866
Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
TWYLA G. BANKS, whose address is5376 NEVADA AVE. N.W WASHINGTON DC 20015 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of EUGENE R. BANKS, who died on JANUARY 13, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 20, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 20, 2025 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.
Date of first publication:
SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
TWYLA G. BANKS Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27,10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2024FEP000102 OCTOBER 8, 2019 Date of Death EMERSON LEE SUTTON Name of Decedent
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
PAMELA SUTTON whose address is 3116 63RD AVENUE CHEVERLY, MD 20785 was appointecd representative of the estate of EMERSON LEE SUTTON deceased, by the ORPHANS’ Court for PRINCE GEORGE’S County, State of MARYLAND, on JANUARY 19, 2022. Service of process may be made upon ROLAND B. DENNEY 4111 KANSAS AVENUE NW APT. 204 WASHINGTON, DC 20011 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: ONE-SIXTH (1/6) INTEREST IN THE REAL ESTATE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 126 TUCKERMAN STREET NE, WASHINGTON DC 20011. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 Name of newspaper, and/or periodical: The Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO-American
PAMELA SUTTON Personal Reperesenative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27, 10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001042 TYWANA SMITH Name of Decedent
NATALIE S. WALKER ESQ. 1101 CONNECTICUT AVENUE NW SUITE 402 WASHINGTON DC 20036 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
JAKIA SMITH , whose address is 3541 JAY STREET, NE, #101 WASHINGTON DC 20019 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of TYWANA SMITH, who died on FEBRUARY 22, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM1047 VIOLENA BEAN
Name of Decedent
WILLIAM A. BLAND ESQUIRE 80 M STREET SE #330 WASHINGTON DC 20003
Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs RAYMOND WAYTES , whose address is 3323 AMES STREET NE, WASHINGTON DC 20019 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of VIOLENA BEAN, who died on DECEMBER 8, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C.
20, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
RAYMOND WAYTES Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/20, 9/27,10/04/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001024 BARBARA JEAN DICKERSON Name of Decedent HORACE LEE BRADSHAW JR 1644 6TH ST NW WASHINGTON, DC 20001 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs DELONTE AUGUST TINSLEY & NATIA DICKERSON, whose addresses are 1702 PLYMOUTH ST, JACKSON MI 49203 &1759 LYMAN PL NE, WASHINGTON DC, 20002 were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of BARABRA JEAN DICKERSON , who died on JULY 23, 2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 27, 2025 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
DELONTE AUGUST TINSLEY NATIA DICKERSON Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27,10/04, 10/11/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000703 CHARMAYNE BROWNE Name of Decedent CHARLES C. IWEANOGE, ESQUIRE THE IWEANOGES’ FIRM, PC 1026 MONROE STREET NE WASHINGTON DC 20017 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
WILLIAH LAVITA GILLUS (AKA LIA GILLUS) AND SHIRLEY BROWNE, whose addresses are 702 COLUMBIA ROAD NW, WASHINGTON DC 20001 AND 4725 8TH STREET NE, WASHINGTON DC 20017 were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of
For
shall expire at the end of four years or at the end of the Mayor’s term of office, whichever first occurs, with the exception of the terms of the City Administrator, the Police commissioner and some members of the Board of School Commissioners, the Civil Service Commission, the Planning Commission, the Board of
off-street parking within the dedicated boundaries of Inner Harbor Park; Park, but making clear that areas used for multi-family dwellings and off-street parking are not part of the area dedicated as park land for public benefit; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the City for adoption or rejection.
By proposing to repeal and re-ordain, with amendments Article I - General Provisions Section 9 Baltimore City Charter (1996 Edition) SECTION 1. BE IT RESOLvED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COuNCIL Of
BALTIMORE, That the Charter of Baltimore City is proposed to be amended
The Mayor shall present the plan to the City Council not later than the first day of February of the first municipal election year following the approval of the Charter amendment. AGAINST CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR CHARTER AMENDMENT
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BALTIMORE CITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ARCHITEC/ENGINEER (A/E) FIRMS TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FROM DESIGN THROUGH CONSTRUCTION ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS
RFQ NUMBER: B-2020-24
The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (“HABC”) will issue a Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) for interested and qualified firms to provide professional services from design through construction on an as needed basis to include, but not be limited to, architectural, engineering, and landscape architecture services. All services must be performed in accordance with the regulations and requirements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and all applicable state and local laws. BIDS WILL BE DUE no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 25, 2024
A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., which will be scheduled as a virtual meeting. The entire RFQ can be viewed and downloaded by visiting https://habc. bonfirehub.com/projects on or after Monday, October 30, 2024 Questions regarding the RFQ should be directed in writing to the address and individual indicated below and must include the reference: HABC RFQ Number B-2020-24.
Housing Authority of Baltimore City Division of Fiscal Operations, Procurement Department 417 E. Fayette Street, Room 414 Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Attention: John Airey, Senior Vice President of Procurement Tel: 410-396-3261 john.airey@habc.org
PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO.
JOSEPH M. WALKER AKA JOSEPH MICHAEL WALKER Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs ALTHEA WALKER DAVIS, whose address is 1425 MONTAGUE ST., N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20011 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JOSEPH M. WALKER AKA JOSEPH MICHAEL WALKER, who died on JULY 1, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 27, 2025 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024
Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
ALTHEA WALKER DAVIS
Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27, 10/04, 10/11/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM001100 TIMOTHY LAMBERT Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
VIVIAN BRIDGES AND PATRICIA LAMBERT, whose addresses are 1122 48TH ST NE, WASHINGTON, DC 20019 AND 136 KENILWORTH AVE NE #3D, WASHINGTON, DC 20019 were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of TIMOTHY LAMBERT , who died on JUNE 4, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 27, 2025 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
VIVIAN BRIDGES
PATRICIA LAMBERT
Baltimore Career Corner
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM1113 VIRGINIA BENJAMIN MARRERO Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
JOSE R. CUESTA , whose address is 3814 BOTELER RD MT AIRY 21771 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of VIRGINIA BENJAMIN MARRERO, who died on DECEMBER 13, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before MARCH 27, 2025. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before MARCH 27, 2025 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship. Date of first publication: SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers
JOSE R. CUESTA Personal Representative
TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 9/27, 10/04, 10/11/24
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000478 WILL KIDD JR. Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs
NADINE KIDD , whose address is 602 EMERSON ST NE WASHINGTON D.C 20017 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of WILL KIDD JR, who died on JANUARY 17, 2024 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd
Commentary
BALTIMORE-AREA
A name that tells the whole
story
By Sen. Cory V. McCray
Malcolm X once said,
“The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman.” His words resonate deeply today, particularly when we reflect on how often Black women have been left out of the historical narrative. Despite their enormous contributions, women like Harriet Tubman, Maggie Lena Walker—the first African-American woman to charter a bank in the United States—and so many others have often been sidelined in history books, overshadowed by their male counterparts. This erasure has had profound consequences on how we remember our past and who we honor in our present.
In recent years, states have passed laws that censor or limit the teaching of Black history in schools. Framed as curriculum reform or anti-divisive measures, these laws do far more than adjust content—they distort history. Even locally, we see attempts to revise African-American studies, such as the recent effort in Harford County, Md., to remove critical parts of African-American history from the curriculum. By reducing or erasing the contributions of Black Americans, and particularly
Continued on D2
National Park Service Harriet Tubman is known as a legend to this day for her bravery and courage. Born a slave in Maryland, Tubman escaped bondage only to return and free hundreds of others.
Melvin Stukes, former Maryland Delegate and Baltimore City, councilman
dies at 76
family
Stukes represented District 44 between Jan. 2007 and Jan. 2015. As a member of the Baltimore City Council, he served the people of District 6 from 1991 to 2004. He was 76 years old.
By Catherine Pugh Special to the AFRO
Melvin Stukes, the former Baltimore City Councilman and member of the Maryland House of Delegates died peacefully at his home in Pikesville on Saturday, September 21. Stukes was 76 years-old.
Born March 15, 1948, Stukes was known for his work in the community and the church.
He married his companion of sixteen years, Catherine DeFord Stukes, a retired principal, on December 31, 2022.
“Because he heard God’s call to him, he willingly made his transition with a smile on his face,” said Mrs. Stukes. “It was an honor and privilege to be a part of his life for sixteen years.
Melvin followed the footsteps that God provided for him. He will be missed by all his family and friends. ‘Working together works’ was his theme,” she said.
Former Baltimore City Mayor Kurt Schmoke, now president of the University of Baltimore, also recalled Stukes’ famous words.
“He lived by the philosophy that “working together works,” said Schmoke, speaking of Stukes, who was a member of the Baltimore City Council from 1991-2004 for District 6.
Elected officials, community leaders, former constituents and friends were all saddened to learn of Stukes’ death.
Sheila Dixon, former Baltimore City
mayor and former president of the City Council, spoke to Stukes’ heart for the community.
“Melvin loved the people he served,” she said. “He was a true public servant who only wanted the best for the people of Baltimore and for the state of Maryland. He fought hard for those who had challenges and was a superhero who was their biggest cheerleader. He was a man of God.”
Former Comptroller for the City of Baltimore Joan Pratt agreed.
“Councilmember Stukes’ leadership was always about his constituency and he represented himself and his district well. He was a pioneer.”
For eight years Melvin Stukes served in the Maryland House of Delegates, from 2007-2015.
Retired State Senator Verna Jones, who served with Stukes, spoke with the AFRO about his time in office.
“Melvin was an authentic team player, committed to the economic stability of Baltimore and a fearless fighter for the City and the residents of our 44th District. I am so honored to have served with him.”
Stukes served three years in the United States Air Force from 1965-68 and was a member of the Prince Hall Masons Enterprise Lodge Number 3 in Baltimore.
A 1975 graduate of Morgan State University, Stukes worked for the State of Maryland from 1975 until his retirement holding positions in the
Comptroller of the Treasury office and the Department of Transportation.
Even after retirement, he continued to serve the community and remained on numerous boards and commissions including the Cherry Hill Improvement Association where he was a founding member and president, the advisory board of the South Baltimore Learning Center and the Baltimore Education and Cultural Institute. Stukes also stayed involved with the Leon Day Foundation, named in honor of Leon Day, who played for the Baltimore Black Sox in the Negro Baseball League.
“Melvin Stukes was a man for these times… a brother who exceeded the boundaries of devotion and service to others throughout his life! Well done our good and faithful servant! Rest in peace,” said Kwame Abayomi, the former Baltimore City Councilman known as Dr. Norman Handy Sr.
“Arrangements are currently being made,” said Catherine DeFord Stukes, adding that arrangements are being made with Wiley Funeral Home. “There will be a day of tributes and we will inform the AFRO as we complete them.”
Melvin Stukes is survived by his wife, Catherine DeFord Stukes, two daughters Tauraine and Marian, three sisters, Joan Stukes-Maurice, Sandra Chipungu and Mercedes Eugenia; Two stepchildren, Kevin DeFord and Sheila Cofield, and three grandchildren Dominique Pierre, Kenyetta and Andre Cofield.
Attorneys discuss DOJ’s $100M lawsuit against Dali ship owner
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Staff Writer tmcqueen@afro.com
On Sept. 19 attorneys
William “Billy” Murphy Jr., Jason Foster and Ronald Richardson detailed the significance of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) $100 million lawsuit against the owner of the Dali cargo ship, which crashed into a Baltimore-area bridge, causing its collapse on March 26. The results of the litigation, filed on Sept. 18, could impact the attorneys’ impending lawsuit on behalf of their client, Damon Davis. Davis is a road construction inspector who survived the toppling of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a major thoroughfare that spans the Patapsco River and part of the Baltimore Harbor. The attorneys filed Davis’ lawsuit on Sept. 20. Davis worked closely with the six workers who died in the Key Bridge collapse.
“People just didn’t do their jobs.”
“He knew these men,” said Murphy. “They all knew each other. They had to work together as a team.” Davis was working on the bridge when the collapse occurred. He was about to take his break when he felt the rumbling of the bridge.
“Our client approached his car to take his break along with the other individuals who were in the trucks when he felt the bridge collapsing,” said Richardson. “He began
Local organization works to close digital divide in West Baltimore community of Sandtown
By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
Nearly three years ago, Michael Smith’s digital divide
organization, the Center for Technology Access and Training (CETAT), received a grant from the Baltimorebased Abell Foundation to teach youth in Sandtown how to code.
The nonprofit decided to lean into game design to engage young people. The experience demonstrated the need for digital skills training
and technology access in the neighborhood, which is predominantly Black. Since then, the center has relocated its headquarters to 1406 Laurens St., with a goal of delivering computer literacy training, coding education and troubleshooting services to residents in the community.
“If you look at the statistics in terms of some of the communities in Sandtown where we’re located, the rate of education, employment and access to high-speed internet is significantly lower,” said Smith. “We believe that technology can really be an equalizer for people in terms of being able to change their lives.”
According to the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance, the
“We believe that technology can really be an equalizer for people in terms of being able to change their lives.”
median household income in Sandtown was $28,142 in 2022, with 54.2 percent of children living below the poverty line. The unemployment rate was 14.3 percent, more than three times the national average. Nearly 24 percent of residents aged 25 and older do not have a high school diploma or GED, and only 7 percent had a bachelor’s degree. Almost 40 percent of households had no internet.
The statistics reflect decades of disinvestment and historical discrimination in the West Baltimore community, which is more than 90 percent African American.
AFRO photo / Alexis Taylor
Friends and
of former Maryland State Delegate and Baltimore City Councilman Melvin L. Stukes are mourning his Sept. 21 death. As a member of the Maryland House of Delegates,
Photo courtesy of Michael Smith Sandtown community members learn about coding at the Center for Technology Access and Training. The center was established by Michael Smith in 2013 to help bridge the digital divide.
AFRO featured as lead story in Visit Baltimore's Fall and Winter Guide
By Nick Jones Abel Communications
Readers of the Visit Baltimore 2024-2025 Fall and Winter guide will see a familiar face early on, as AFRO and Afro Charities leadership authored the issue’s lead story “Printing Progress.”
The AFRO is the oldest Black-owned business in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and reported on the civil rights movement at every step. Now they are taking readers through the journey at the tail end of what Gov. Moore declared, “Maryland’s Year of Civil Rights.”
The piece is written by AFRO Publisher and CEO Dr. Frances “Toni” Murphy Draper and Afro Charities Executive Director Savannah Wood, both members of the founding Murphy family.
Featuring historical photos from the AFRO archives and info on modern day civil rights exhibits that feature the publication and the history in its archives, the story takes readers from the AFRO’s founding to the company’s exciting future plans.
“The AFRO is part of Baltimore’s story, and we are honored
Black women, from textbooks and classrooms, this sanitization deprives future generations of a complete American history—one that includes the struggles, resilience, innovation and triumphs of women who fought against systemic oppression.
This erasure inspired me to take on a legislative effort initiated by Chanel Compton, executive director of the Banneker-Douglass Museum, and Del. Shaneka Henson (D-Md.-30A),
who asked me to lead the charge in the Maryland State Senate. Together, we sought to honor the legacy of Dorchester County native Harriet Tubman during the 2024 Legislative Session with Senate Bill 341. Tubman’s name has long been synonymous with Black history and American history. The legislation renames the “Banneker-Douglass Museum” in Annapolis to the “Banneker-DouglassTubman Museum.” Just a few blocks from the State House, the museum is dedicated to documenting, interpreting, and promoting AfricanAmerican history and culture. The change is a deliberate recognition of the profound contributions Tubman made, alongside those of Benjamin Banneker and Frederick Douglass, to the fight for freedom, equality and justice in American history.
The debate over including Tubman’s name isn’t new.
When the museum opened in 1984, there was extensive discussion about adding her name to the marquee. The fact that her name was omitted underscores the broader issue of Black women’s historical contributions being overlooked. I learned that this conversation spanned over five years, reflecting the persistent challenges in fully acknowledging the role of women in shaping our history. The decision to finally include Tubman’s name is a step toward rectifying that omission and ensuring that future generations understand the full scope of her contributions.
to share a bit of history with Visit Baltimore readers,” said Draper. “As leaders in the Black Press locally and nationwide, we document the people, places and stories that make Black History complete.”
Wood noted the important role Charm City has played in the records of time.
“Baltimore consistently punches above its weight when it comes to nationally significant history,” said Wood. “While we await our new headquarters, we proudly display our rich collection of resources at museums and cultural spaces throughout the city.”
Examples of AFRO-documented history can be found throughout Baltimore, including at the National Great Blacks in Wax museum, the Lillie Carroll Jackson Museum, the Maryland Center for History and Culture and more.
The Afro Charities is set to open a state-of-the-art research center to house the AFRO Archives, and serve as headquarters for the AFRO News.
To learn more about the AFRO, visit afro.com. For more information on the AFRO Archives and initiatives launched by Afro Charities, please visit afrocharities.org.
Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper (left), AFRO American Newspapers CEO and publisher, highlights Baltimore in the Civil Rights Movement with her latest article, “Printing Progress,” published in the latest official Visit Baltimore Fall and Winter Guide. The piece was coauthored with Savannah Wood, a fifth generation family member who serves as executive director of the paper’s sister company, Afro Charities.
For me, the fight to pass this legislation was made meaningful by the phenomenal women who dedicated their time, voice and advocacy to SB 341. Chanel Compton, whose leadership in initiating the bill was instrumental, and Maya Davis, vice chair of the Maryland Commission on
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Smith, who studied computer science at Frostburg University, has been involved in technology for much of his career. He spent time working for a research hospital to gather statistics on autism and Huntington’s disease, and teamed up with nonprofits to usher them into the digital age.
It was his experience with the Greater Baltimore Urban League that led him to join the fight for digital equity. There, he helped establish community technology centers for Baltimore communities with scant accessibility after the organization received a grant from the Department of Education. Smith quickly realized that it was not just internet and devices that residents needed, but training.
“Initially, when people thought about the digital divide, they focused on having access to devices, then it broadened to the internet,” said Smith. “What we found over time is that it’s not just those two things, it’s also about having access to training to be able to use those things as well.”
African American History and Culture, both played critical roles in this journey. It was an honor to have them by my side as we testified before the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. Through the efforts of Chairman Brian Feldman (D-Md.-15) and Vice Chair Cheryl Kagan (D-Md.-17),
the committee voted the legislation out immediately after their compelling words, delivered on the first day of Black History Month, which highlighted Tubman’s leadership during the Civil War and her freeing of 700 enslaved people. On the House side, Del. Henson, of Anne Arundel
County, cross-filed the legislation as House Bill 390, working tirelessly to ensure its passage. The bill was ultimately signed by Gov. Moore on April 9. Including Tubman’s name invites us to remember the full scope of her contributions—just as schools should strive to present a comprehensive history that includes all voices, especially those often marginalized. Both museums and schools serve as custodians of the collective memory. The decision to include Tubman’s name in the museum reflects the same responsibility we bear in our educational curricula. What stories do we highlight? Whose contributions do we emphasize? In the end, what’s in a name? Everything. It’s our past and our future. It’s our history, identity, and commitment to telling the whole story. By honoring Harriet Tubman with this renaming, we are celebrating her incredible life and making a statement about who we are and who we strive to be—a nation that acknowledges and learns from its full history. Because if we don’t know where we’ve come from, how can we ever know where we’re going?
He started CETAT back in 2013 and began by serving older adults in Prince George’s County. Bringing his work to Sandtown in 2021 was an opportunity to support community members with the least amount of access to technology and training.
Smith said digital literacy is now required for most careers, not just those in the technology sector. It has become something employers, educators and others consider a fundamental skill, much like how to read and write.
“We think about traditional literacy as a foundational skill for people. We believe the exact same thing in terms of technology literacy because it directly impacts people’s education, employment and access to information,” said Smith. “The same type of advocacy that people put forth for literacy should be put forth for technology literacy as well.”
Program Director Clifton Rogers was well-acquainted with barriers to technology and digital literacy. Growing up, he said he didn’t have a computer. Instead, he went to
the library to send emails and access the internet.
“We just didn’t have the resources at the time,” said Rogers. “I always told myself, when I get in the position, I’m going to make sure that people have access to technology.”
Since moving to Sandtown, CETAT has collaborated with the local FutureCare, a rehabilitation and nursing facility, to teach older adults how to operate computers, cellphones and tablets. It has also hosted cyber security workshops to mitigate their vulnerability to attacks from scammers and phishers.
During the summer, the center runs the Create Initiative to teach young people about music and video production, photography, coding and drones. Youth who complete the program receive a certification in drone operation through a Federal Aviation Administration exam.
To enhance career skills, CETAT trains people in computer repair, Microsoft Office and web design. It also distributes refurbished
computers to residents. Most recently, the center has ventured into hydroponics, a technique that allows people to grow plants indoors. It has a live vegetable wall and plans to teach students how to grow food in their homes.
CETAT’s next objective is to familiarize Sandtown residents with artificial intelligence (AI), as autonomous systems and machine learning continue to grow. Rogers believes that understanding the technology can prepare people for jobs of the future.
“Technology is everywhere, and people just use a small snippet of it. It’s in all of our lives, and yet so many people do not have access to it. This community in particular is hurting for that,” said Roger. “They want their minds to be turned on and to learn something that can be beneficial for their lives.”
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBC Universal.
AFRO Photo / Stephen Hopkins
National Museum of American History
Maggie Lena Walker is recorded as the first African-American woman to charter a bank in the United States.
Courtesy photo
Senator Cory V. McCray represents Maryland’s 45th Legislative District, which encompasses Northeast and East Baltimore City. Senator McCray is dedicated to advocating for equitable policymaking, public safety and community development.
‘The Cookout’ – a joyous display of Black unity amidst unyielding racism
By Chrissy M. Thornton
By now, the buzz around Associated Black Charities’ (ABC) event, The Cookout, has reached every corner of Baltimore and beyond. Described as a celebration of Black joy, unity and community empowerment, The Cookout was a beautiful and necessary reminder of the importance of gathering, celebrating and claiming space. It also turned out to be much more than just a social event—it became a symbol of resilience and the audacity of Black people to thrive, even in the face of hate.
Before the event, the press releases told us what to expect: a day filled with music, food and the kind of energy that only Baltimore
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knows how to bring. From performances by local icons like DJ Tanz and Scola Dinero of Dru Hill fame, to awe-inspiring acts like Nia Simone, the Fatal Attraction Step Squad and the Baltimore Twilighters Marching Band, it was poised to be a perfect day. And for the kids, there were inflatables, face painting, balloon twisting, popcorn, cotton candy and even a visit from Black Panther himself!
The Harbor Bank of Maryland played a vital role as the presenting sponsor of The Cookout, showcasing their ongoing commitment to economic empowerment and community development.
Onsite at the event, Harbor Bank provided attendees with access to valuable financial resources, including opening
running. He took a giant leap to make it to that part of the bridge that was still standing.”
The attorneys explained how the DOJ’s civil claim could benefit Davis’ impending case against Dali owner Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and manager Synergy Marine Group, both of Singapore.
“One, it helps in the first phase of litigation to defeat the claim of limitation of liability,” said Foster. “Then when we actually get into presenting our client’s claim for his damages and his losses, it will be tremendously helpful in that regard as well. It essentially sets the tone for the litigation.”
Foster said the DOJ’s case could help establish entitlement to compensatory damages for Davis’ losses and “provides an avenue to recover damages above that, called
new bank accounts with a $100 deposit incentive, directly supporting the financial well-being of individuals and families in attendance. Their presence not only underscored the importance of financial inclusion within the Black community, but also highlighted the powerful impact that Black-owned institutions can have in fostering economic growth and stability. Harbor Bank’s participation in The Cookout was a testament to their dedication to uplifting the community and ensuring that all Marylanders have the tools to build wealth and secure their financial futures.
Still, in the weeks leading up to The Cookout, the atmosphere was thick with
punitive damages.”
Murphy explained punitive damages as the DOJ asking for “a huge amount of money to punish this ship owner and everybody else” who was responsible for the tragedy.
“They’ve gone further than making sure that everybody is made whole,” said Murphy.
In the DOJ’s lawsuit, the agency claims that because of the “unseaworthy condition of the ship, none of the four means available to help control the Dali—her propeller, rudder, anchor, or bow thruster—worked.”
The DOJ also alleges that the crash was avoidable and holds the ship owner and operator responsible for negligence. The suit is seeking $100 million in cleanup costs, plus punitive damages.
“There were all kinds of failures,” said Murphy. “People just didn’t do their jobs.”
Sept. 14.
something else—racist and violent rhetoric that sought to undermine the very essence of this event. It seems that the notion of Black people gathering to celebrate themselves, their culture and their collective power was too much for some. Social media lit up with comments such as “I guess honkies aren’t invited,” “What the f*** about White culture?,” and even more sinister threats that prompted Associated Black Charities to file a formal report with Baltimore City police and involve Homeland Security. These weren’t idle threats– ABC was forced to invest nearly $7,000 in additional security to ensure the safety and well-being of attendees.
The political climate fostered by radical White supremacists and MAGA
Republicans has emboldened hateful rhetoric and behavior. Their dehumanizing tactics, their refusal to acknowledge the significance of Black joy, and their audacity to suggest that Black lives and Black celebrations are somehow threatening, have created an environment where public safety concerns are no longer a precaution, but a necessity.
From racist caricatures of Governor Wes Moore and Mayor Brandon Scott on event posts to violent insinuations about shootings at the event, it’s clear that the ignorance and hatred are not just pervasive but increasingly bold.
Yet despite all of this— despite the hate, the vitriol and the outright threats—The Cookout turned out to be a massive success, exceeding every expectation. The
weather was gorgeous, and even more beautiful was the sense of community.
Black families from all walks of life and allies from other communities came together, their laughter filling the air as music played and food vendors offered mouthwatering dishes from some of Baltimore’s finest Black-owned businesses. Free hot dogs, Rita’s Italian Ice, and a host of Black-owned food trucks served up the kind of cuisine that can only be described as soul-nourishing.
The day began with a prayer from Bishop Douglas Logan of Zion Hill Baptist Church, and the rendering of the Negro National Anthem by songstress Jessika Williams, setting the tone for what would be a powerful gathering.
See more on afro.com
Photo courtesy of Facebook / Associated Black Charities
Chrissy M. Thornton is president and CEO of Associated Black Charities. The organization held their community event, The Cookout, at Canton Waterfront Park on
Black creatives shine at 2024 MET Gala
By AFRO Staff
The 2024 Baltimore MET Gala returned for a third year on Sept. 14.
Creatives of every genre descended upon The HALL - LIVE! Casino and Hotel Maryland for the fashion and awards show. Each year, the event is put on by two executive producers, LaRian Finney and Derrick Chase.
Attendees did their best to adhere to this year’s theme, “Adam and Eve: Enter
the Garden,” by sporting sleek fabrics and vibrant floral numbers.
“We know the rich pool of talent is here in the city, and that’s through all genres, particularly the arts, fashion and culinary scenes,” said Chase, in a statement. “Drawing talent to the city to be part of the Baltimore Story, through this unique production, is a testament to the value we’ve created in the three short years of executing at a high level of excellence.”
The event featured entertainment by DJ Tanz and a culinary experience was curated by founder of the Black Owned Restaurant Tour (BORT), Azikiwe “Zik” DeVeaux, who pulled together offerings from several restaurants for ‘A Taste of the MET.’
The fashion show was produced by Lana Rae. Models came from as far away as San Diego, Calif., St. Louis and other cities across the nation to wear the fashions of local designers. Roughly
150 models were selected from a pool of 500 by designers Jody Davis and Earle Bannister. The Baltimore MET Gala also featured an art exhibition, curated by Ernest Shaw, Ainsley Burrows and Laurielle Noel.
Several community leaders were honored including:
• P. David Bramble, Managing Partner/ Co-Founder | MCB Real Estate
• Edward “Ed” Evans, Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion | Live!
Casino and Hotel Maryland
• Linzy Jackson, III, Director of External Partnerships | Office of the Mayor
• Susan J. Lee, Vice President of Diversity Partnerships | MOI
• Detra Neal, Sales Manager, Market, Mid-Atlantic | Kimball International
• Nykidra “Nyki” Robinson, Founder and CEO | Black Girls Vote
• Shelonda Stokes, President | Downtown Partnership of Baltimore
of
Bannister
Afua Sam (center) takes to the stage with her models. Sam was one of multiple designers invited to have her creations featured in the Baltimore MET Gala fashion show.
A model shows off designs by Andrew Nowell.
Designer Andrew Nowell (right), enjoys the 2024 Baltimore MET Gala.
Fashions from Dermaine Johnson are taken in by the crowd. Dermaine Johnson The designs
Earle
are put on display.
Earle Bannister Designs by Jody Davis once again wow the crowd.
Jody Davis
Laurese Kelly interprets the 2024 Baltimore MET Gala theme of “Adam and Eve: Enter the Garden,” in a number reminiscent of the Biblical creation story.
Models show off designs by Luqman Haskett.
Luqman Haskett shows appreciation for the opportunity to showcase his designs at the 2024 Baltimore MET Gala.
A model brings the work of designer Sean Bellamy to life.
Designer Sean Bellamy proudly participates in the 2024 Baltimore MET Gala.
Tershea Rice, interim chief of operations for the Greater Baltimore Urban League, makes an appearance at the 2024 Baltimore MET Gala.
Shelonda Stokes, president of Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, takes to the runway of the Baltimore MET Gala. Stokes was recognized with a community impact award at the event.
